


Do You Like My Nosebleed?

by CrestofCaw



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Romance, Comedy, Fluff, M/M, Mild Blood, Romantic Comedy, Summer, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but its just nosebleeds lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:07:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25121374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrestofCaw/pseuds/CrestofCaw
Summary: Lighthearted meet-cute summer fic to satisfy your sweet toothAkaashi and Bokuto meet and have a beautiful indie movie summer
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 31
Kudos: 87





	1. I Hope You Have Epicaricacy

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It's been a little while since my last fic, but here we are and it's Bokuaka again!
> 
> This one is completely different than my last fic. I needed something completely fluffy and slice-of-life after the emotional toll of my last work haha. Plus I've been super into basic-ass summer rom coms lately and wanted to write one :) but I promise they will get together faster in this one and will be more with their relationship
> 
> I will admit I already have my next work after this in the works sort of at the same time because I had the idea and was too excited about it but this one is taking priority because it's a summer fic lol
> 
> Yes there's random music stuff again... It's just a goofy little quirk where each 'scene' has a track that I felt represents the vibes. You can ignore it or make it into a playlist :)
> 
> Love you all <3

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 1**

**__** _~Is This It?~_

_~The Greeting Committee~_

When Akaashi Keiji was thirteen years old, he started getting nosebleeds. After his third or fourth in twelve days, he decided to bring it up with his mother. She was, understandably, concerned by the frequency and insisted they go to the doctors.

After inspecting for any trauma to the nasal cavity, and recording his blood pressure, the last resort was for the black-haired boy to receive a CT scan. Akaashi remembers thinking this was a strange overreaction. Sure, face bleeding is never good, but he didn’t feel like anything was wrong. Nevertheless, he unenthusiastically complied with the process.

Later in life, he would look back on this with an understanding of how concerning this all was. If it wasn’t the typical, harmless culprits, the only reasonable, remaining explanation was a more serious ailment. Akaashi’s mother was likely worried sick with the prospect that her son potentially had cancer, but all he remembered thinking was, ‘oh… laying in this big-ass machine is a little melodramatic.’

Fortunately, the CT scan came back completely clean. Akaashi was a perfectly healthy thirteen-year-old. The doctors simply could not come up with a reasonable explanation for the nosebleeds. One of the doctors attempted to joke with the boy, questioning if snorting cocaine was the source of his problem. Akaashi was unenthused.

The appointment ended with an unsatisfying conclusion that there simply was no explanation for the nosebleeds and that they’d likely stop as he grew up.

Akaashi was now nineteen years old.

Akaashi’s nosebleeds are still a common occurrence in his life.

He has returned to the doctor’s office since that initial appointment to ensure there is no danger. Six years later, however, there still was no good explanation. Just a shrug and a cocaine joke.

_bzzt bzzt bzzt_

Akaashi’s eyes remained closed as he flipped over in his bed, pulling the sheets over his head to avoid the sunlight invading his tranquil room. He hadn’t remembered his dream from the night before, but he deduced that it was enticing enough to return to.

_bzzt bzzt bzzt_

“Motherfucker.” Rubbing his eyes, he grimaced at the vibration from his phone.

Akaashi stretched his arm to the white nightstand nestled beside his bed, long fingers gripping the restless device. Multiple texts from his mother were displayed on the screen.

A cringe overtook his face as the black-haired man noticed the time. It was just past ten o’clock in the morning. Ever since he had returned home from college for the summer, he had been sleeping in later and later.

His mother had been messaging him to meet her in the living room. He decided to forgo getting dressed, instead he trudged out of his room in a large, grey tee-shirt and boxers.

This choice proved fatal, as he slipped into the living room to greet his mother…. beside two other strangers.

Akaashi attempted to form the words that would make this situation ok. It was not ok. This was awful. His mouth was left wide open, eyes wide in horror. His mother shared this negativity.

“My heavens, Keiji, put some clothes on, we have guests.” She yelped.

With his mind still fuzzy from sleep, Akaashi found himself flailing to recover from this situation. “I can see that, mama.” At that moment, blood began to gush from the man’s angular nose.

Akaashi quickly spun around on his heels and dashed back into his room. Snatching a tissue and pressing it to his nostril, the college student slid to the floor, back resting against the now shut door. He covered his eyes with his free hand, wanting to never have existed. _That was one hell of a first impression._ His face heated up as he peaked down at the current state he was in, only then truly processing the humiliation.

A scowl imprinted itself on his lips the entire time he attempted to make himself more presentable. He slipped on a simple pair of jeans and a yellow-and-grey striped shirt before washing his face and running a hand through his hair. A fierce blush still ever present on his cheeks.

He really wanted to sink into the floor at this moment. He really did not want to go back out and greet the guests, who probably thought him a delinquent.

But alas. He dragged himself back out of the room and into the living room. Forcing a smile onto his tired face.

“Good morning. I apologize, I hadn’t known we were having guests.” He subtly jabbed towards his mother, who was innocently sipping at a mug of coffee. She held a second mug up to Akaashi. 

It was apology coffee. _Fuck apology coffee._ Apology coffee was his mother’s way of absolving herself of all guilt. He couldn’t be upset about her negligence any longer because she got him coffee!

He was tired, however. So he swiped the mug from her hands, plopping down on a loveseat and glancing at the guests.

On the couch was a broad woman, who seemed to be the kind of woman who always had cookies baking in the oven. She was too young to be a grandmother, but she carried herself as though she was in training to become the textbook version of one.

Next to granny-in-traning was a young man, about his age, presumably her son. He had broad shoulders and a distinct jaw. Wide, golden eyes pierced his soul, like an owls. Topping it off was one of the most unique, and bizarre, sets of hair Akaashi had seen. It was dyed a stark contrast of black and white and spiked directly against the flow of gravity in two spikes. The entirety of the man screamed enthusiasm and energy. He was caffeine incarnate. The two were completely juxtaposed, considering Akaashi’s mellow nature.

Caffeine-incarnate’s mom chuckled heartily. “No problem, dear! Trust me, Koutarou here spends half the day walking around in his underwear.”

_‘I wouldn’t mind seeing that.’_ Akaashi thought. Thankfully, he was awake enough to activate his naughty-thoughts filter, and avoided articulating this incriminating thought. 

Koutarou blushed at his mother’s admission, but attempted to laugh it off. “Guilty.” He said. _Damn._ His voice held an electricity to it. Even when timid, it sent static through Akaashi’s bones. It would sound so good whispering into his ear. 

_Could the Dirty-Koutarou thoughts stop?_ He was a little surprised by his inclinations towards the other man. Not that he wasn’t Akaashi’s type, but rather that nobody seemed to be Akaashi’s type. 

Attraction was a tricky subject for the raven-haired boy. He had deduced that he was gay in high school. Attraction to men was natural and comfortable in concept. But in practice, he found himself consistently dispassionate. It was as though there was a roadblock in his mind that prevented him from feeling this amazing thing everyone seemed to rave about. _But Bokuto. He was doing something so right._

“Keiji, this is Mrs. Bokuto and her son, Koutarou. They just moved into the house next door. Koutarou is the same age as you.” Akaashi’s mother filled him in on the stranger’s identities.

“It’s very nice to meet you two. I promise I’m far more put together than I seem at the moment.” Akaashi spoke sheepishly against the mug in his hands.

Mrs. Bokuto belted out another laugh, “You are such a riot, dear!”

Akaashi scratched the back of his neck. He didn’t remember saying anything funny, but apparently he’s a fucking comedian.

Collecting herself, Bokuto’s mother spoke kindly. “Your mother told me you were studying English? How exciting!”

Akaashi smiled through heavy lids, “Yes, ma’am. Although I’ve only finished one year of University so I don’t deserve too much credit yet.”

The woman’s scoff was as boisterous as her laughter. “You’re far too modest! You’re allowed to be proud every once in a while,” she chided.

Akaashi turned to Bokuto, features softening at the man. “Bokuto, are you in University as well?”

“I am.” The spiky-haired boy spoke, assuredly. “I just finished my first year as well. Although I’m still undecided.”

Humming, Akaashi supported him. “There’s no shame in that. We’re young, Bokuto, we’re supposed to be clueless heathens.”

Akaashi’s mother lightly swatted the back of Akaashi’s head, calling him a smartass under her breath. A droplet of coffee bounced out of it’s mug and landed on the side of the black-haired man’s thumb. He shifted the mug into his opposite hand and sucked the droplet from his finger. The action was completely unnecessary, but Akaashi figured it was worth it upon seeing Bokuto swallow thickly in his peripheral. He’s still got it. _Nice._

The four continued to converse amicably, topics remaining light. Akaashi found out that Bokuto was attending a different University from Akaashi, approximately two hours from each other. Eventually, Akaashi’s mother got up to lead Mrs. Bokuto into the backyard to flaunt the blooming Clematises she had recently planted.

This left Akaashi alone in the living room with this relative stranger whom he will neither confirm nor deny the attractiveness of.

Akaashi gently placed his half-empty mug on the small, wooden table in front of him. He leaned forward in the love seat, heavy-lidded eyes trained on Bokuto, who slid his right arm around the back of the sofa. Akaashi allowed himself to really process the man before him. Bokuto had broad shoulders and well-defined features that all were amplified by the way he carried himself. It was as though he wore every emotion and thought on his sleeve. He practically buzzed with energy because he wasn’t afraid to display it. There was such a genuine quality to Bokuto- it made you want to hang onto every word he uttered.

Being so caught up in his processing, Akaashi was caught off guard by Bokuto taking the conversational lead.

“So, Akaashi, what do you do outside of studying english?” He spoke so genuinely.

The man in question thought it was a strange way to ask what he did for fun.

“Hmmm…” He chewed on his lower lip, concocting some sort of witty response in hopes of making a good impression. “Besides that and meeting strangers in my underwear-“

Akaashi’s sly face shattered at the sound of Bokuto’s laughter. It was boisterous and hearty, like his mother, but something about it clenched at his chest. Thankfully, Bokuto’s eyes were shut through laughter, as Akaashi could not regain his composure, blushing furiously.

“Well, I read a lot, I guess. And I play volleyball and the guitar a little.” Akaashi spoke, voice devoid of the playful nature it held before, instead shy and shaky. 

Bokuto’s eyes widened at this, leaning forward. “Really? I mean, I can’t play any instrument, but I love volleyball! I play for my university’s team!”

“Really?” Akaashi mouth hung, slightly agape. It seemed he found a way to stir that energy within Bokuto. He looked like an excited puppy, begging to play fetch. Akaashi instantly became addicted to drawing this energy out of Bokuto, like basking in the sun. Nevertheless, his face cast downward in insecurity. “I played more seriously in high school. I only play on a club team now, so I’m nothing to write home about.”

Bokuto’s head tilted to the side, eyes still wide and unwavering. “You gotta stop diminishing your achievements, Akaashi.” The way he stated this was as though he was simply informing the other of the weather. A mere observation.

The raven-haired boy shifted in his seat, uncomfortable by the attention he was receiving. “Ah, sorry. I just want to temper expectations so I don’t disappoint.”

“I would never be disappointed by you.” Bokuto spoke, voice quiet. Akaashi’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t thought Bokuto was capable of modulating his volume, so the soft spoken nature of his statement had quite the effect on him.

Akaashi attempted a lighthearted smile, like curling just slightly, “That sounds like a challenge, Bokuto.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 2**

**__** _~Myspace 2009~_

_~Club Sofa~_

_“Well, she needs a little company.”_

Lightly calloused fingers strummed at the guitar as Akaashi rested on a thick, tree branch 15 feet above ground. The roof of leaves provided shade from the summer heat. He always found his hobbies far more enjoyable while sitting alone in a tree of his backyard. Reading? Better in a tree. Sad attempts at drawing? Better in a tree. And, as he was doing at the moment, singing is definitely better in a tree. Akaashi had never been the best singer; the mere thought of singing in front of others was mortifying. But he would be lying if he said it wasn’t an enjoyable activity, especially in a tree.

_“But it’s only for the night.”_ Whoops. That was a little off key. But nobody would know. Because he was in a tree.

_“Sent a dirty text message.”_ That was better. Akaashi sucked in a breath to send the next line out in a yell.

_“Can I sleep between your thighs?”_

“I didn’t take you for someone so naughty, Akaashi.” The voice from below caused the man in question to freeze in place. 

Peeking down from his perch on a branch, Akaashi felt his face immediately heat up at the sight before him… or below him.

“Ah, uh, hi Bokuto.” He stammered out.

Bokuto chuckled, pressing a hand into the thick trunk of the tree, flashing a toothy grin. “Don’t stop on my account. You’re really good.”

Akaashi blushed further, leaning back against the tree to hide his face. “Ugh, please don’t embarrass me further.”

“Mind if I come up?” Bokuto asked, cracking his knuckles.

Akaashi did not respond, instead scooting down the branch to give the other man space. Understanding this as permission, Bokuto made haste climbing the tree. It should be noted that Akaashi did not peak at the muscles in Bokuto’s arms as they stretched from exertion. _Definitely not._

Upon mounting the branch, Akaashi and Bokuto were separated only by a couple inches. Akaashi hugged his guitar to his chest, the left strap of his black overalls sliding off his shoulder, revealing more of the yellow-striped shirt he wore underneath.

“What were you singing about my thighs?” Bokuto asked, shit eating grin spread across his face.

Akaashi narrowed his eyes at the tree’s other occupant, “Did you just come up here to make fun of me? And plus, it wasn’t about your thighs… just… some anonymous thighs.” So he wasn’t doing great on the recovery.

Bokuto chuckled, white brow arching up. If he didn’t look so cute doing it, Akaashi would push him out of the tree.

“I could totally call the cops on you for trespassing on private property, Bokuto.”

“You wouldn’t.” Bokuto smirked.

Akaashi’s already narrowed eyes narrowed further in comical detestation. “You don’t know that.”

Bokuto seemed to consider this, or at least pretend too. “I’ll take that chance.” He then chose to change the subject. “I’m being serious, though. You’re really really good.”

The comment felt so genuine, Akaashi had to accept it. The black-haired man scratched the back of his neck, “ah, thanks.” He chuckled dryly. “So what brings you up here?”

Bokuto crossed his arms across his broad chest, leaning back contentedly. “I was doing some weeding in my backyard when I heard you.”

Akaashi took the moment to drink in the sight before him. Bokuto was wearing a baggy, white tee-shirt that seemed to bring out the tone of his sun kissed skin. The short sleeves were rolled up just past his biceps to expose the defined muscles.

_‘I’d let you weed my backyard any day of the week.’_ Yuck. When did Akaashi become such a sleaze?

The sleaze sighed, shifting his gaze to his dangling, bare feet. “I promise I’m typically not this much of a ’manic-pixie-dream-girl.’”

Bokuto responded with his signature barking laughter. “I don’t know. Sitting in a tree, wearing overalls in the summer, and singing some song I don’t think anyone else has heard before… the red flags are everywhere, ‘Kaashi.”

“Tch.” Akaashi glared at the other man, but it held no bite. “I will push you out of this tree.”

Bokuto waved him off. “Ok ok, I’m sorry. I’ll go back to thinking of you as a complete disaster who greets strangers in his underwear.”

“You’re never going to get past that, are you?”

Bokuto smirked, “Not until it stops being fun.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 3**

**__** _~Silent Movies~_

_~Carter Vail~_

_“But I saw a strange glimmer everywhere, confined to the sharp oscillations of yellow & blue, as if my retinal view suddenly included along with the reflective blessings of light, an unearthly collusion with scent & sound, registering all-“_

_**BZZT BZZT BZZT** _

Akaashi slipped off his bedroom window seat, shocked out of reading from the buzzing of his phone. His book lie, sprawled open, on the floor beside him. He would have to find his page again. Although he had read this particular book so many times it would hardly be a challenge. He snatched the phone from the seat and answered the call without looking at the Caller ID.

“Huh?”

Only laughter was heard on the other side of the line. Akaashi pulled the phone back from his ear, looking at the screen to realize it was Bokuto calling him. _Oh yeah. They had exchanged numbers earlier in the day._

“What’s so funny, Bokuto?” He asked, pulling himself off the floor.

“I didn’t expect you to fall over when I called you.”

“What?” Akaashi’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. _How had he…?_

Bokuto clicked his tongue. “Look out your window.”

Upon hearing this, the raven-haired man turned, bug-eyed, out the window he had been perched by. Bokuto stood in front of a window directly facing Akaashi’s from the house adjacent to his. The boy waved enthusiastically.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” He spoke, low, before returning the wave tentatively.

Bokuto kept grinning, but his features turned more sympathetic. “Sorry to disturb your reading.”

Before Akaashi could wave off the apology, Bokuto spoke with ample snark. “But I’m surprised I didn’t see you singing about ‘some anonymous thighs.’”

Akaashi flipped the man off, sticking his tongue out for good measure. “I’m going back to my book.” He said, pulling the blinds down to block the window.”

“No, Akaashi,” Bokuto drew out the syllables in desperation, voice wet with a pout.

Akaashi pushed two of the horizontal blinds apart to glare at the man from across the yard. Bokuto smiled back, sunnily, leaning against the window with one hand.

Akaashi made a show out of sighing, exasperated, pulling the blinds back up. “Fine, I suppose it wouldn’t kill me to speak with you a little longer.”

The two talked for the next two hours, aimlessly jumping from topic to topic. They prattled on about what they had done in the past and what they want to do in the future. It was almost as though they were two friends reconnecting after years apart. But they weren’t. They hadn’t known each other a couple days previously. While both men could be described as direct or blunt, they displayed this trait very differently. Akaashi was more deliberate in his word choice, as though he took the most direct path to disseminate information when speaking. It wasn’t that he didn’t consider his word choice, but rather that he found fluffy, sugarcoating language to be superfluous to getting his intentions across. And despite his directness, Akaashi found more vulnerable emotions difficult to articulate to others, choosing instead to avoid vocalizing them. Bokuto, on the other hand, gave his language far less consideration. This was not in the sense of being unintelligent, in fact, Akaashi had come to find Bokuto to be a very intelligent person. Rather, he found that Bokuto spoke with his gut, without regard for second thoughts. While this may lead to trouble in situations in which a filter is necessary, Akaashi found it to be refreshingly genuine.

As they continued to converse, seemingly endlessly, more and more of Bokuto’s personality became clear and enticing to the other man. It wasn’t until Akaashi heard a loud yawn over the phone line that he thought to check the time.

“It’s almost midnight. I have to get to sleep, I have work tomorrow morning.”

With a curt goodbye, he set his phone aside and slipped into his bed before fading into slumber with a smile etched on his lips.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 4**

**__** _~Pangea Girls (Magic Feeling)~_

_~Candy Claws~_

Akaashi nearly fell asleep in the shower the next morning. He was the furthest thing from a morning person and he had slept in the past few days, before he began his job. Now, at six in the morning, he lazily leaned against the wall of the shower as lukewarm water droplets ran down his frame. Some water pooled in the divot formed from his collarbones. In an attempt to stir enough to get through his shower, Akaashi turned the shower handle towards the cold and dunked his head directly under the faucet. A dissatisfied groan rang out of his throat without his conscious intention.

After dragging himself through his shower and drying off, Akaashi slipped into his work uniform: a simple pair of black pants and a white, polo shirt. It was now 6:15, which meant he had about half an hour until he had to head out to work. He quickly brewed a mug of coffee and slipped out onto the front porch of his house to sit and enjoy the sunrise. While he was not a morning person, he had to admit that this was pure, peaceful ecstasy. Minutes slipped by as the sun rose above the treeline, warming the dazed boy.

“Good morning, Akaashi!”

The out-of-breath voice drew the man in question's attention from the orange sky to see none other than Bokuto walking by his house from the road. He appeared to have just been returning from a morning run, wearing a sleeveless hoodie and shorts.

Akaashi hid his light arousal at the sight of the man’s bare arms behind the brim of his coffee mug. Bokuto decided to jog over to the porch, a light layer of sweat dripping down his forehead.

Patting the patio chair next to the one he occupied, Akaashi offered Bokuto a seat. Bokuto plopped down with a huff, wiping his forehead with his large forearm.

“I envy your productivity at this hour, Bokuto.” Akaashi spoke with a groan.

Bokuto exhaled in amusement. “You’re up too.”

“True, but I went kicking and screaming. And I think if I tried to run I would explode.”

Bokuto rolled his eyes, still smiling at the sleepy man. “You said you have work this morning? Where’s that?”

Akaashi idly blew on his coffee, “Brassicot cafe. It’s this adorable mom and pop coffee shop in town.”

“I think I saw it when we drove through,” Bokuto hummed.

Akaashi's smile was so genuine thinking about the cafe. He was probably the shop’s most loyal regular, so when the owners had offered him a summer job he was positively elated.

“Speaking of,” Akaashi said while checking his watch, “I must head out in a bit if I want to be on time.” The man proceeded to guzzle down his coffee.

Bokuto rose to his feet, arching his back in a content stretch. He waved Akaashi goodbye before trudging across the lawn towards his house. Akaashi watched him leave with heavy-lidded eyes.

After placing his mug in the sink and grabbing his wallet, Akaashi skipped out of his house and walked his bicycle out of its place in the garage. A small, brown paper bag with lunch rested in the basket.

Obsidian locks smoothed back as wind pressed against it on the trip to work. The journey was relatively simple, only requiring a couple turns and minimal hills. He always found himself grinning like an idiot while biking through the neighborhoods, just content to exist in the world. Upon arrival at the cafe, Akaashi chained his bike to a post in the lot behind the building, as he had done before every shift. Slipping into the back and clocking in, Akaashi greeted Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz. The two owned the shop for thirty years, ever since they got married. Despite their age, they insisted on continuing their work at the shop- even opening the store every day. Often they would leave Akaashi, or whoever was on duty, to close up shop.

“Good morning, Mr and Mrs Ruiz, how are you doing today?” He asked, cheerfully, while pulling on an apron.

Mrs. Ruiz flashed Akaashi a bright smile. “Just fantastic, Akaashi. I’m glad to have you back for the summer.”

“Yes, we can’t wait to hear all about your first year at college.” Mr. Ruiz patted him on the shoulder.

Akaashi giggled, “You heard about it when I came back for winter and spring break.”

Mr. Ruiz clicked his tongue in jest of disappointment, “But now you’ve finished an entire year, so you have to tell us everything again. Plus, I think Mariel already forgot what you said, so it’ll be fresh for her.”

The woman in reference lightly smacked her husband upside the head. “Hey, don’t try and throw me under the bus because you forgot what Akaashi had told you.”

The sound of a doorbell ringing caused the three’s conversation to halt.

“You two can fight it out. I’ll get it,” Akaashi teased, slipping through the door to the storefront and getting situated at the counter. “How can I-“ As he looked up to greet the customer, his mind blanked upon seeing Bokuto again.

“How can you what, Akaashi?” Bokuto looked incredibly pleased with himself.

Akaashi ground his teeth, “Bokuto, I just saw you.”

“That’s a rude way to greet a customer. I might have to report you. I had heard about this place from someone recently, so I decided to try it after my run.”

The giggle that escaped Akaashi’s throat was unpreventable. “Fine fine. What can I get for you?”

Bokuto squinted at the menu on the wall above Akaashi. He seemed to be having trouble seeing the contents, so he pulled a pair of reading glasses from his back pocket and slipped them on.

_Fuck. He looked really hot in those._

“Uh, I think I’ll try a mocha slide.” He eventually decided.

“Good choice.” Akaashi happily rang the man out and went to make the drink. He made it a point to draw a picture of a pissed off owl giving the middle finger on the cup before passing it across the counter. The shock of electricity that flowed through Akaashi’s hand as Bokuto grazed it in the process of retrieving his drink brought a shiver down the barista’s spine.

Akaashi’s head tilted to the side, “What do you have planned for the rest of your day?” He asked.

Bokuto took a sip, humming in satisfaction at the taste, “I’m thinking of walking around town and then getting to work on fixing our porch.”

“Of course you would know how to do that,” Akaashi rolled his eyes. “If you need a tour guide around town, I get off at two.”

The other man mulled this over, taking another sip of his coffee. “Really? You would do that?” Akaashi nodded, attempting to withhold his inner fervor. “I’ll be back then.”

Akaashi smiled, waving Bokuto out the door and heading into the back. Mr and Mrs Ruiz attempted to act as though they hadn’t been huddled by the door, eavesdropping. Mr. Ruiz whistled as he wiped down the countertop. The giveaway that this was a coverup was the fact that he wasn’t holding a rag, instead wiping circles with an empty hand.

“You two have no subtlety” Akaashi sighed.

Mrs. Ruiz dipped her head in shame, “We’re sorry, Akaashi. We were just curious! Is he a friend of yours?”

Akaashi considered persisting in his act of dissatisfaction, but instead dropped it for an endeared smile. “Yeah, he just moved in next door.”

There was a strange vibe emitting from the two shop owners. It was as though they wanted to ask something, but couldn’t decide whether to or not. Akaashi considered pressing them on their odd behavior, but knew they would deny any oddity. He grabbed a spray bottle of disinfectant and a roll of paper towels and slipped into the front to wipe down counters.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 5**

**__** _~Shakedowntown~_

_~Naive Thieves_ ~

“Hello, everyone!” The barking yell of a short, orange-haired boy echoed throughout the back as Hinata crashed through the back door.

Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz began to collect their belongings to leave the store. As Hinata’s shift began at eleven, the Ruiz’s would leave the store in the two boy’s care.

Mr. Ruiz ruffled Hinata’s fluffy hair, “Good to see you, kiddo.”

Hinata blushed at the nickname, “Mr. Ruiz…”

Mrs. Ruiz came in to alleviate his embarrassment, “We know you’re not a kid anymore, Hinata.” She pinched his cheek, which was arguably more embarrassing than calling him “kiddo.”

Akaashi smiled at the commotion as he finished making a customer’s drink in the front. Just on time, Hinata busted through the door to the front, tying his apron, as Akaashi passed the completed tea to a customer.

“Akaashi!” Hinata forced the man into a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

The man in question laughed awkwardly, patting the shorter boy on the back. “I missed you as well, Hinata.”

The red-head pulled away from the hug, “Have you had your lunch break? I can handle the front for now.”

“That would be excellent, thank you.”

Akaashi slipped into the back and pulled his sack lunch from the cubby with his name labelled on it. He then proceeded to plop down in a folding chair and pull out the sandwich he had packed. Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz waved him goodbye, leaving the man alone in the back.

The morning had been relatively uneventful, marked by a steady stream of customers. Getting the opportunity to relax, however, was greatly appreciated.

Upon his break’s completion, Akaashi dusted off and returned to the front at Hinata’s side.

“There wasn’t much to handle,” Hinata spoke, frankly. He was correct. There weren’t any customers in the shop at the moment.

This was the midday lull that the cafe frequently had, giving the two the opportunity to chat.

“Mrs. Ruiz told me we got a new hire the same age as you recently?” Akaashi questioned.

Hinata’s eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing into a squint, lip curled up in disgust. “Ugh, don’t get me started, Akaashi. He’s the absolute worst. Always crabby and rude to me.”

“What’s his name? Does he at least pull his weight around here?”

Hinata’s feet fidgeted, a stark contrast from his furious face. “Kageyama. That’s the thing though. He only cares about doing the work. I try to make conversation and he shuts me down. “Get back to work, stupid.”” He lowered the pitch of his voice to impersonate the boy.

Akaashi chuckled, “Well maybe he’s just socially anxious. Be patient with him, I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”

Hinata did not seem satisfied with this, so Akaashi decided to have some fun.

“Or maybe he has a crush on you.”

Hinata’s eyes practically bugged out of their sockets. His face turned a bright, deep shade of red. “Wh- what?!”

Akaashi realized he just hit a teasing gold mine. “Or do you have a crush on him?”

“Yuck!” Hinata gagged, dramatically. “How could I ever love that obnoxious, cute, stupid asshole.”

“Cute?”

It seemed as though Hinata had not meant to vocalize that adjective. That was one thing he and Bokuto seemed to have in common: they vocalized pretty much every thought in their head. The only difference being that the redhead seemed to do this completely by accident and often found himself surprised by his own bluntness. Nevertheless, their honesty was refreshing for Akaashi and he figured this was why he had connected with Bokuto so quickly.

And it made Hinata easy to tease. It wouldn’t have seemed possible for the short boy to turn even more red, but he did.

“Aww, Hinata’s got a crush!” Akaashi sang mockingly.

Hinata lightly punched the man in the stomach. “N-no! I don’t have a crush, I didn’t mean to- you misheard me. I don’t like him.”

“Like who?”

Apparently, the two hadn’t heard the front door of the store open. In front of them stood a tall, young boy with straight, black hair and deep, blue eyes.

“K- Kageyama.” Hinata stammered. “It’s not your shift today, what are you doing here?”

The man, presumably Kageyama, clicked his tongue. “Am I not allowed to come in for some coffee, dumbass?” He snarled.

Akaashi realized what was happening, and his pleasure could not be more evident on his face.

“Oh, so you’re Kageyama! I’m Akaashi Keiji, I work here during my college breaks, so hopefully we’ll work together soon.” His voice was sickeningly sweet. 

Kageyama stared back, blankly. He didn’t seem upset or particularly thrilled at the other man. He grunted out a quick, low “nice to meet you.” It was evident to Akaashi that he had a hard time meeting new people. Why he chose to work customer service was a conversation on its own.

Akaashi decided to torture Hinata just a little bit more. “You know, Kageyama, Hinata and I were just talking about-“

“-Cowboy hats!!” Hinata screamed over the man, instantly face turning to shock and horror.

Akaashi’s brows furrowed at the words that had come out of the ginger-haired boy’s mouth. _Cowboy hats?_ From the look on Hinata’s face, it seemed he had panicked and just said the first thing that came to his mind.

“… Cowboy hats. Yeah.” Akaashi was struggling not to bust out laughing.

Kageyama looked half confused and half disinterested.

Hinata took a breath, trying to collect himself and dig his way out of this situation. “Uh, yeah. I was thinking about buying a cowboy hat. I think I’d look… cool… in a cowboy hat.”

A squealing laugh escaped Akaashi’s throat. His face was turning red in an attempt to hold it in. Kageyama was still unimpressed, chin tilting upward.

“You’d look stupid in a cowboy hat.” He said, snarling.

While Hinata wasn’t particularly passionate about his ability to pull off a cowboy hat, he was nonetheless offended. “Hey, I could pull it off way better than you! Now order your drink so I don’t have to see your face anymore.”

After Kageyama stormed out of the cafe, coffee in hand, Hinata looked about as furious as he possibly could look. Akaashi bursted into a fit of giggles.

“Akaashi, what the hell?” 

“I’m sorry,” he barely got out through laughter. “I didn’t think you’d take the conversation in the route of cowboy hats.”

The shorter boy threw his hands into the air, “I panicked! You have to clean the toilets, jerk face.”

Akaashi wiped a tear from his eyes, “That’s fair.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 6**

**__** _~Midnight Surf~_

_~The Velveteins~_

“Remember to lock the doors on your way out.”

“I know I know I know, I’ve closed how many times, Akaashi?” Hinata groaned, shooing the other man out the door.

Akaashi stepped outside into the warm, summer air. He breathed in the smell of the town, stretching contentedly.

The sound of a voice alerted him to his right. “Are you my tour guide?” Bokuto leaned against the side of the cafe. Despite the shade his baseball cap cast across his face, the man’s amber eyes practically glowed.

“You are correct. The tour will start momentarily” Akaashi trudged over to the other man.

Bokuto gave a smug smile, “How was work? Probably not as fun without me there.”

Akaashi shrugged, “You’re right. I was miserable without you. I didn’t know if I would survive.” He bit sarcastically, leading the man into center town.

“Yikes, this guide is extremely rude. I will be giving this tour a negative review on yelp.”

“Oh no. What will I ever do?” Akaashi deadpanned.

The tour began with a simple walk around the town square. Akaashi pointed out various shops that he enjoyed frequenting. Bokuto seemed to be impressed by absolutely everything. Akaashi found that he could literally point out a bench and it would cause gasps of amazement.

“Rodette’s is the cutest little diner and they have the best milkshakes.” Akaashi pointed to the baby-blue building with red neon letters spelling the diner’s name.

Bokuto hummed, “You’ll have to take me sometime.”

Choosing to ignore the way that made him feel, Akaashi pressed on with the tour, landing the two in an antique shop. The town-native was very fond of the store. Bokuto could appreciate it, but found some of the furnishing to be unsettling. He made it a game to point out all of the dolls that were certainly haunted.

“That one’s haunted as shit.”

“Ok, I get it, Bokuto. You just don’t understand the beauty of a place like this.” Akaashi sneered.

As though on cue, the two turned the corner to face one of the most decrepit and terrifying dolls, sitting on a shelf. Akaashi grabbed onto Bokuto’s arm, pulling them away.

“Ok you’re right, that was really creepy.”

Bokuto was entirely too amused by the flock _(pack? herd? gaggle?)_ of ducks that were making their way across the street, causing a traffic jam. It was such a natural occurrence in this town, Akaashi had forgotten just how silly it was. But Bokuto’s infectious giggles caused the shorter man to spill into a flurry of chuckles, only growing to full laughter as the other man began to imitate the creatures.

“Akaashi, let’s get them bread!” Bokuto began to tug on the man’s wrist.

Akaashi made no moves to shrug the hand off, following along amicably to the corner grocery. He only wished to change his mind on the food item they would be buying.

“We should get them lettuce. Ducks don’t digest bread well.”

Bokuto stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. “Really? Oh, crap. I have so many ducks to apologize to.”

A high-pitched giggle escaped Akaashi’s lips. “I think they’ll forgive you, Bokuto.”

As they continued to enjoy each other’s company, Akaashi came to an astonishing revelation. Whenever he was with Bokuto, he was having a blast. And when he wasn’t with Bokuto, he was wondering what the man was up to. There was something about his directness that gave each word an added level of genuineness. Bokuto made you want to hang on to each phrase as though it was absolutely integral to survival. There was no deflection or projection in his behavior. He simply existed in a state of honesty with each emotion and thought. This had the effect of making Akaashi more direct with his feelings.

“I really really like hanging out with you, Bokuto.” Something he wouldn’t directly say to someone- at least not one he’d only recently become acquainted with. He typically found more subtle methods of expressing this feeling. But the words just felt right to be said aloud.

Bokuto smiled, leaning back against the park bench the two sat in. “I’m glad, Akaashi. I think you’re the best!”

It was at that moment, Akaashi realized he was completely and totally fucked. Maybe “realized” isn’t a completely honest or accurate portrayal. It wasn’t necessarily a new feeling, present since the moment he had met the man; instead, the feeling had simply grown more prominent and unavoidable. The plant had overgrown the pot and vines spread through the entire garden. He had to be careful or clumsy feet would trip over twisting tendrils. Akaashi thought maybe he wanted to trip, but he concluded that the metaphor was silly.

Metaphors had lost their flavor. Being direct seemed far more palatable. Akaashi’s heart began skipping beats as he saw Bokuto’s eyes flutter as the two began leaning into each other. _Were they about to…?_ Bokuto’s gaze flicked down to the other man’s mouth, confirming his suspicions.

“Uh, Akaashi. Your face is bleeding.”

_Oh._


	2. The World is Oh-So Loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riding a bicycle into town in the early morning was always more fun when you pretend that you’re in the opening of an indie movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!
> 
> I tried to hang onto this chapter for longer so I could get further ahead in the next one but I got kinda excited and wanted to post haha
> 
> Please enjoy!

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 7**

**__** _~What Do You Want From Me Tonight~_

_~Sidney Gish~_

_Bzzt Bzzt Bzzt_

Akaashi found himself arousing to the dreaded sound of his phone’s vibration. Tired eyes pierced daggers into the device, although they softened considerably when the contact ID became visible. He quickly cleared his throat, picking up the phone and answering the call.

“Good morning, Mrs. Ruiz.”

The voice on the other side was raspy and weak. “Hi, dear. I know today’s your day off, but my husband and I both came down with the flu. Kageyama and Hinata are both scheduled for today, but would you mind going in to open up as well?”

“I’d be happy to. I hope you and Mr. Ruiz feel better soon. Can I get anything for the two of you?”

“Don’t you worry about us, you’re doing so much already. Thank you.”

Akaashi smiled sadly. He truly wanted to help the couple out in any way he could. “Ok. Get some rest, you two. Feel better.”

While he was not one to complain, Akaashi was regretting staying up so late the night before. The presumption of a day off was a cruel enabler.

After showering and getting dressed, Akaashi set off to ride his bike into work. Considering he had to unlock the cafe, the sleepy man needed to arrive early enough that Kageyama or Hinata (whoever had the morning shift) wouldn’t be waiting. This left no time for him to drink his routine mug of coffee, though he knew Mr and Mrs Ruiz wouldn’t mind him brewing himself a cup (or many) at work. They always offered the option to him, but he typically felt too guilty to accept.

As he began peddling down the road, he noticed a figure jogging in his direction from the neighboring driveway. The sun was just barely rising, so the face was hard to see, but Akaashi knew immediately it was Bokuto.

“I beat you out this morning.” He preened, riding in circles around the taller man.

Bokuto slowed to a stop, pivoting around to constantly face the raven-haired man circling him. “I thought you had the day off? I figured you would sleep in.”

_Oh yeah._ He had told Bokuto on the phone the night before. It had been a week since they met and nightly phone conversations had become routine. He slowed to a stop to properly converse with the man.

“My bosses got sick, so I’m opening for the day. I’ll probably be out around 11.”

Bokuto gave Akaashi a once-over. “You look really tired. Are you sure you can ride your bike? Why don’t I give you a ride?”

The offer was enticing, and more time with the brunette was always appreciated, but Akaashi was far too proud. “No, no. You’re about to run, like a freak I might add. Plus, I enjoy riding my bike into town.”

Bokuto sighed. “Alright. But text me when you get to work so I know you’re ok.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to be more self-centered, Bokuto.”

The other man responded only with a laugh, before setting off on his morning run. Akaashi took in the view, before heading off in the direction of the cafe.

Riding a bicycle into town in the early morning was always more fun when you pretend that you’re in the opening of an indie movie. Akaashi always had a dumb smile on his face as he pedaled down the road. Typically, in those indie movies, this was the part where everything was good for the protagonist and soon after they would be faced with a dramatic conflict or loss. He hoped it wasn’t that kind of indie movie. He could just ride his bicycle around to garage rock music and maybe give Bokuto a big ol’ smooch. That probably wouldn’t make for the most critically acclaimed film, but the benefits outweigh the consequences.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 8**

**__** _~Crust Bucket~_

_~The Frights~_

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. R- Akaashi?” The booming voice of Hinata rang through the slumbering cafe.

Akaashi pinched the bridge of his nose, still in the process of waking up. “Hi, Hinata. Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz are sick so I’ll be here for them.”

Hinata’s grin was instant and all consuming.

“Don’t look too excited.” Akaashi chuckled.

“Sorry, Akaashi, I just like when we get to work together!”

Akaashi poured another cup of coffee for himself, “That’s very kind. I enjoy working with you as well,” his warm smile turned to one that was visibly more shit-eating. “Especially since you get to tell me all about your crush on Kageyama.”

The redhead groaned, cupping his quickly reddening face in his hands.

“Maybe talking to me about it will make you feel better.” Hinata did not seem in accordance. Akaashi needed to try a new strategy. “What if I tell you about my crush?”

Hinata’s face remained covered by pale hands, but his fingers spread to stare widely at the other man.

The substitute boss giggled, “Peaked your interest, have I?”

“Well, yeah. But also your nose is bleeding again.”

The redhead seemed to cling to every juicy detail of Akaashi’s budding relationship with Bokuto. While the older man was a little confused by his enthrallment, considering it wasn’t all that interesting of a story, he appreciated Hinata’s enthusiasm.

“You got a nosebleed right before you were about to kiss him?” The ginger’s voice boomed through the cafe.

Akaashi’s eyes widened in horror, “Hinata, you must be quieter. And I’m not sure he was thinking we were going to kiss.”

A cardboard, coffee sleeve was hurled at Akaashi, bouncing off the man’s head. “Oh, come on, Akaashi! He obviously likes you!”

“Please do not throw trash at me.” Akaashi deadpanned, unflinching. “And you’ve never met him.”

The ring of the shop’s doorbell was a welcome conversational escape and reprieve from the embarrassment Akaashi was feeling. Unfortunately, the figure that passed through the threshold into the cafe was perhaps the last person the slim man was hoping to see in that moment.

“Akaashi!” Bokuto yelled out, although it sounded more like ‘Agaaaashiiii.’

The man in question felt his face already heating up, attempting to find an excuse to get Hinata away from the counter. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, forcing him to confront the humiliating situation head on.

“H-hello, Bokuto.”

Hinata’s eyes instantly lit up with mischievous excitement and realization. The short boy scurried away, clearly conducting some abhorrent prank that Akaashi couldn’t prevent. He deserved this for ‘The Great Cowboy Hat Incident of One Week Ago.’

Back in front of the counter, Bokuto tapped his chin, indecision wrought on his face.

“Hmmm. What do you like, Akaashi,” he said his name the same way as when he entered the store.

Akaashi glared back. “It’s Akaashi. And I usually just get black coffee.”

Bokuto’s face pinched in disgust, “Yuck! Nevermind, I’ll just do a mocha slide again.”

Suddenly, Hinata appeared at Akaashi’s side, causing the man to jump. The boy grinned, handing Akaashi an empty cup. “Here. Would you mind making it, Akaashi? I’ll go clean the bathrooms.”

The wavy-haired man was confused by this, expecting the boy to take the opportunity to embarrass him. Nonetheless, he decided not to overthink it and got to work making the mocha. Upon finishing the drink, he grabbed a sharpie marker to draw another owl flipping him off. That was when he noticed it. The cup Hinata had given him was covered in sharpie-drawn hearts.

_Motherfucker._ Akaashi grimaced, deciding to grab another coffee cup and simply transfer the liquid over. Upon opening the cabinet, he noticed that all of the cups were completely missing. All that remained was a sticky note with a wink face drawn on it. 

Akaashi took a quick breath, grabbing the heart-covered mocha and handing it across the counter. The blush on his face was intense and unmistakable. Upon seeing it, Bokuto looked back at the man, mouth agape.

“C-cute.”

Akaashi glanced up from the floor in shock to see Bokuto blushing about as much as he suspected he was. The multi-color-haired man began to stumble over his words, before squeaking out a quick goodbye and rushing out of the store.

Grabbing the sticky note from the cabinet, Akaashi crumbled it up and stormed into the bathroom, chucking it directly at the cackling orange-haired boy.

“Play nice, you two.” Akaashi chided, hanging his apron on a hook in the back of the cafe.

Hinata stuck his tongue out, childishly, while Kageyama grumbled something indiscernible. Akaashi rolled his eyes, exiting through the back of the cafe. Now that both Kageyama and Hinata were on their shift, Akaashi felt comfortable leaving the coffee shop. Pulling out his phone, the exhausted man scrolled through his contacts, tapping on the number listed as Bokuto’s. After a few moments of ringing, the man’s booming voice sprung to life.

“Hey, hey, Akaashi!”

Akaashi cleared his throat, realizing he hadn’t actually planned what to say or a reason to call.

“Hello. I just got off my shift.” Akaashi noticed his nose begin to bleed for a second time today. Unbothered by the common occurrence, he quickly pulled out a tissue from his pocket, where he kept a stash for these exact circumstances, and held the paper to his leaking nose. “And I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch with me?”

The reply was almost instantaneous. “Yes! Absolutely! Wanna go to that diner in town you showed me?”

“That sounds very nice, Bokuto.”

The sounds of rustling were heard on the other side of the line. “Ok! I remember where it is, so I’ll sprint there and meet you outside.”

Akaashi chuckled, “You don’t need to sprint.”

“But I don’t want you to be all alone.”

_Badump._ Akaashi’s heart nearly burst at that moment. A hand absentmindedly shot up to grip his chest. 

His voice came out shaky. “I-I’ll see you soon, Bokuto.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 9**

**__** _~Baby I’m Blue~_

_~Trudy & the Romance~_

“It’s impolite to speak with your mouth full, Bokuto.”

“But ish sho good, uh can’t elp it!” Bokuto spoke, immediately after a bite of sandwich.

Akaashi rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his strawberry-banana milkshake. He found it endearing- not that he would ever admit to it.

“Do you happen to be free this Friday night?” Akaashi shyly stirred the milky concoction within the tall glass.

The man in question swallowed, clearing his throat to answer. “Yeah, why?”

“I was wondering if, maybe, you wanted to come with me to a party. My friends from high school are having one and I wasn’t going to go, because I hate parties, but if you were there… It might not be terrible.” The raven-haired man quickly took a bite of sandwich to hide the furious blush forming on his cheeks.

Bokuto looked positively elated, pumping the air. “Really? That would be so much fun, I love parties! I know you’re shy, but why do you hate them?”

Akaashi grimaced, resting his chin in his hand. “The shyness is a good reason enough, Bokuto. But if you must know, I have a way of humiliating myself at every party I attend.”

“I’m sure that can’t be-“

“This past Halloween. I went to a party at a friend's apartment. They had a ton of brownies on the snack table, and I’m a nervous eater, so I started devouring one after another. The others at the party seemed to be bewildered at my mass consumption, and when I asked why I was informed that they were pot brownies.”

Bokuto could not hold back his guffawing laughter, erupting throughout the diner. Akaashi attempted to calm the man down, but found himself getting caught up in laughter of his own.

The white-and-black-haired man continued to bring up the halloween event throughout their meal, each time asking a different question about the evening.

“Did you survive? Are you a ghost now?” _(No, Bokuto. I am not a ghost)._

“Are you still high from it? Is that why you’re so calm all the time?” _(I’m completely sober and that is incredibly rude)._

“Do you think just the sight of brownies now would make you high?” _(That’s not how anything works)._

Eventually, Bokuto exhausted all of his inquiries- decidedly satisfied by Akaashi’s responses. After a conflict, in an attempt for each to pay the others bill resulting in them splitting the check, the two slipped out of the diner into the humid, town streets.

“Do you want to be an asshole with me?” Akaashi grinned slyly at Bokuto, the two pausing at a crosswalk.

Bokuto’s brows scrunched together, clearly confused.

Akaashi chuckled, “just trust me.” He then chose to make the bold move of grabbing onto Bokuto’s hand and leading him across the street towards the cafe he worked at.

Hinata seemed surprised at Akaashi’s return so soon. The coffee shop was empty besides the three, Kageyama presumably in the back, so the orange-haired boy felt no hesitation speaking bluntly. Bokuto quickly excused himself to the bathroom, however, leaving Akaashi to order the drinks.

“Did you forget something?” Hinata began scanning behind the counter for one of the other worker’s belongings.

“No, we just thought we’d stop by for some coffee.”

Hinata seemed pleased by this, grabbing a cup and marker to prepare the drink. “What can I get for you?”

Despite having full confidence in his scheme, Akaashi still felt a blush form on his cheeks. “Uh, on this one can you write ‘Date me?’ on it?”

Hinata’s eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets, jaw dropping further than one would expect naturally possible. “Is this for…?”

Akaashi collected himself, knowing he had the trap perfectly set. “It might be.”

After rattling off an order for a generic latte, the barista quickly got to work putting it together. A giddy grin imprinted on Hinata’s face, excited to assist in what he assumed was a proposal. Akaashi, however, had a much more sinister idea in mind. Bokuto returned from the bathroom, hovering by Akaashi’s side. The raven-haired man shot his partner-in-crime a devilish smirk, sending a shiver down his spine.

“All done!” Hinata boomed, grinning widely.

Akaashi made no moves to collect the drink from the unknowing fool. “Thank you, Hinata. He’s going to love it.” Before Hinata’s face could wash with confusion, Akaashi yelled into the back of the shop. “Kageyama!”

The two customers then promptly rushed out of the store, Hinata sputtering from behind the counter. Kageyama rushed to the front of the store, scanning the perimeter for any urgent matters.

“What’s the matter, dumbass.” Piercing blue eyes glowered at brown ones. Hinata was unable to respond with anything articulate, so instead Kageyama scanned down to the drink in his hands. “The hell is this?” He aptly snatched it from the other boy’s hands, reading the words scribbled on the sleeve.

The cafe was then occupied by two sputtering fools.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 10**

**__** _~Cigarette~_

_~Babe Corner~_

“Akaashi! You came!” Konoha’s booming voice caused the man in question to stumble upon entering his friend’s house.

“Hi, Konoha. Thank you for having me.” Akaashi then pointed to the man beside him, who was taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. “This is my friend, Bokuto. He’s the neighbor I told you about.”

Bokuto’s gaze snapped back to Akaashi, smirking. “Awww, you talk about me, Akaashi?”

Despite understanding the teasing tone, a blush still found its way across his face. “Just that I have a new neighbor and he’s annoying.”

The taller man gasped dramatically at this, but chose to turn his attention to the party. Konoha understood this shift, so he promptly led the two men into the living room, where the rest of the guests were. There were only around twenty people at the party at the moment, and at its peak it likely wouldn’t reach much greater numbers. Most of the occupants chatted amicably over the upbeat music emitting from speakers, swaying as they nursed plastic cups filled with beer. Bokuto scanned the crowd, before his gaze transfixed and widened at one of the occupants.

“Kuroo?!”

The man in question turned to his name being called, face stretching in similar shock to see its source. “Bo! How the hell are ya?” He strode over, slapping Bokuto’s upper arm.

Bokuto then turned to Akaashi, “You know Kuroo?”

“Yes, our teams played against each other in high school quite a bit.” Akaashi responded, nervously fidgeting with his fingers.

The spiky-haired man appeared positively tickled by this circumstance. “I play on the same team as this asshole. We’re, like, best buds.”

Something lurched in Akaashi’s gut at that moment. Had he been honest with himself, he would admit to being a tad bit jealous. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. To monopolize Bokuto’s attention at this party? Of course that was unrealistic, even if he didn’t know anyone. Bokuto was a social creature; the man could make instant friends. Hell, that was why Akaashi and him had become such fast friends.

“Why don’t we go get some drinks?” Akaashi spoke, leading the two into the kitchen. He had decided that a light buzz would be enough to wash any unwanted emotions away.

After each of the college students poured themselves a sizable dose of liquid confidence, they slipped back into the living room. They quickly nestled themselves into an empty corner to chat, and if Akaashi felt a little like a third wheel, he drowned those thoughts in a hefty sip of alcohol. His pink lips scrunched together at the taste; Akaashi forgot how nasty this shit was. He had always been more of a ‘wine and mystery novel’ kind of guy.

Bokuto laughed loudly at his noticeable disgust. “Not a fan?”

A slight wave of annoyance pricked at Akaashi, although almost certainly due to the frustrating feelings brewing within him. Just to spite the man, Akaashi tilted the cup back, pouring its entire contents down his throat. He may have needed to bite his lip to avoid visible distaste, but nobody needed to know that.

“Once season starts back up, I’m going to kick your ass.” Kuroo sniped, but the words held a teasing undertone.

Bokuto scoffed, “That’s funny. Once season starts back up, I’m going to kick _your_ ass.”

The two’s conversation continued as such, constant sniping back and forth. Akaashi wanted to escape this situation where he felt unnecessary, but worried leaving would be seen as an aggressive act. Not that the two would likely notice, the way they were getting in each other’s faces. 

Bokuto then turned to the grumbling man. “Hey, Akaashi.”

“Yeah?” And Akaashi didn’t know what he was expecting. An offer for a romantic rendezvous was quite unlikely in the presence of Kuroo. _Ok, it was quite unlikely at any point._ But he certainly didn’t expect what Bokuto ended up saying to Akaashi.

“Your nose is bleeding again.”

“Mother fucker.”

Kuroo and Bokuto continued to catch up as Akaashi sulked into the kitchen to grab a tissue. After stopping the bleeding, he decided to refill his cup. He honestly felt more guilty for allowing these feelings to become so intrusive. Romance and Akaashi hadn’t mixed very well in the past. To tell the truth, he had felt himself struggling to understand the feelings so many giddily described. He never felt that he was incapable of or uninterested in feeling these things. Rather, he felt that those feelings were fragile seeds in a barren pot. As though they simply required more agreeable conditions if they wished to grow. With Bokuto, however, Akaashi felt this seed grow out of the confines of the pot far too quickly to contain.

_Oh shit._

Plant metaphors are great and all, but not when you’re mindlessly drinking. How many times did he refill his cup?

As Akaashi glanced up to see Komi, staring back in befuddlement, his fears of drinking too much were indeed confirmed. His lips felt weightier than usual as he opened them to speak.

“I had… some- a lot. Right?” He knew these words were not being spoken in an arrangement to be discernible, but he felt no need to correct it. Komi got the point.

The brunette quickly set down his own drink, wrapping an arm around Akaashi’s shoulder. “I see that, buddy. You have a habit of doing that. Remember Halloween?”

Akaashi groaned, leaning his head back. The action was not graceful, skull dropping backwards against Komi’s wrist, like concrete. All of his limbs felt like their brakes were loosened.

“I just… All I wanted-“ hiccup. “was to get. Some of that butt.” Drunk-aashi then proceeded to make a gesture in the air, simulating caressing the curvature of an ass.

Komi found himself unable to hold back the giggles. Akaashi, again, knew he was being ridiculous, but didn’t care.

Akaashi then excused himself, deciding to unwind upstairs. He found an unoccupied bedroom, stumbling his way through the doorway. He recognized the room as Konoha’s. He figured the man wouldn’t mind him borrowing it. The drunk man sunk down to the floor, leaning back against the bed’s foot while he hugged his knees to his chest.

This was one of those moments for Akaashi, when he realized that his body had taken actions before his mind had any chance to process or catch up. Looking back, he knew there was no reason to be upset. Thus, there was no reason for him to emotionally drink. Consequently, there was no reason for him to be hiding in Konoha’s bedroom in fear of… what exactly? Saying something humiliating due to a lack of filter? Possibly. In the end, Akaashi really wished he wasn’t drunk in the way he was. But here he was.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 11**

**__** _~Tommy’s Party~_

_~Peach Pit~_

The door to the bedroom creaked open, causing the sitting man to flail in an attempt to escape the presence of what was likely a future drunken hookup. Upon facing the intruder, he came face to face with the man he arrived with. Bokuto was certainly a little past tipsy, but more put-together than Akaashi was. In his hands were two red, plastic cups. He traversed the bedroom and slid down next to the shorter man, offering the cup.

“No thanks. I’m already- so yes drunk too.” _That made… some sense hopefully._

Bokuto chuckled, continuing to offer the cup. “It’s water, ‘Kaashi. You gotta hydrate or pi-drate.”

This statement positively tickled Akaashi. The drunken boy began to crack into giggles, leaning forward to rest his head on Bokuto’s shoulder. “That’s not even joke supposed to say. It’s hydrate or _die_ -drate.”

The two sat on the floor, guzzling cups of water as they slowly sobered up into tipsy-but-manageable partygoers. While their speech still slurred and stuttered, the words were spoken in comprehensible orders.

Akaashi nervously circled the rim of his cup with his thumb. “Sorry I took you away from Kuroo.” And it wasn’t a bitterly sarcastic statement: he really meant it.

“Kuroo’s great. But I wanted to see you.” Bokuto poked Akaashi’s nose at the last word.

“Sorry I’m such a mess. I’m not usually like this.”

The spiky-haired man scratched the back of his neck, “Don’t worry about it. But why did you? It felt like I saw you at one moment and then you were gone and wasted the next.”

And maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Akaashi didn’t feel like lying. At least not completely. He didn’t feel like telling him about the jealousy. He thought about how his feelings had nagged away at his mind since the day the two had met, and considering his lack of experience it’s unlikely he was subtle about his crush. _So fuck it._

“I’m really dumb. I think.. I like you a lot. And I don’t- I’ve never really done that before and it happened so quickly and I don’t know.” Akaashi realized he was talking a mile a minute, so he decided to take a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” He exhaled, resting his forehead on his bent knees.

“You’re not dumb.” Bokuto began rubbing small circles into the other man’s back. “And you shouldn’t be sorry. Could you tell me that again when we’re not drunk. I just want to hear it from you when you’re ready to tell me. Because then I’ll get to tell you that I like you back.”

Akaashi’s head shot up, causing his vision to blur slightly, but when it refocused he saw the most beautiful sight. Someone that knew exactly what to say and how to make him feel right. After nodding in affirmation, he rested his head against Bokuto’s broad shoulder, raven locks tickling the man’s ear.

The two sat just like that in complete silence, just drinking in each other’s presence to the soft hum of music playing downstairs.

At around midnight, the two decided it was time to leave. They slowly began the twenty minute walk back to their houses, side by side. Guilt panged at Akaashi.

“I really am sorry, Bokuto. I sort of made this entire night about me. You didn’t get the chance to party much.” His blue-eyes remained trained to the concrete sidewalk.

Bokuto lightly bumped his shoulder with Akaashi. “Do you want to know the truth, Akaashi? I fucking hate parties. Hate them. I mean, I love to dance and I love to meet people so it should be a match made in heaven. But last time I went to a party was in high school, and it made me realize how many people don’t actually like me. They put up with me when they’re sober, but the second their filter is gone they show just how annoyed they are by me.”

Akaashi was now staring directly into Bokuto’s eyes. He saw how truly hurt Bokuto was. “I don’t understand how anyone could dislike you.”

A low hum emitted from Bokuto’s throat. “I went to this party because I really like to spend time with you, and I’ll take any chance I can get. But that’s why I want us to talk about our… feelings for each other when we’re sober. So I know for sure it’s what you want.”

“I can’t wait to tell you how much I like you, Bokuto.”

Something shifted in Bokuto’s eyes, still trained on Akaashi’s face. Akaashi instinctively reached up to feel around his nose.

“Did I get another nosebleed?”

“No. You’re just so beautiful.”

The next morning, Akaashi awoke bright and early to make breakfast for himself and his mother. Upon returning home the previous night, his mother seemed to analyze him for any signs of intoxication. Akaashi thought he did a pretty solid job at pulling himself together, but judging by her narrowed gaze, he would need to take action to remove any lingering suspicions. So an early breakfast with no signs of a hangover seemed the most appropriate action. Truth was, the sleepy man wasn’t hungover in the slightest. This had been thanks to the countless cups of water he chugged the night before. The creaking of the floorboards alerted Akaashi to his mother’s presence.

“Morning, mom. Want some eggs with your toast?” Akaashi spoke, eyes transfixed on the sizzling pan in his hand.

Akaashi’s mother stopped, surprised by the scene before her. She hummed, satisfied. “Sure. Thank you, Keiji dear. How was your night?”

A smirk etched its way onto the boy’s face. She was too easy. Lulled into submission through the comfort of food. _Like mother, like son_. Akaashi then transferred the eggs onto two plates and poured each of them a mug of coffee.

“It was good. I found out Bokuto is good friends with Kuroo.”

His mother nodded along, not indicating any reaction.

“Um, mom.”

“Yeah?”

Akaashi took a quick breath, fiddling with his fork. “Did you ever think it was weird that I never really dated or showed interest in anyone?”

He had expected this to throw his mother off, as it had seemingly come out of nowhere. He should have known better, however, considering she always seemed to read Keiji’s mind.

“I never wanted to push you about it. Everyone goes at their own pace. And I know romance isn’t super fun to talk about with your mama.”

Akaashi let this bounce around in his head, considering any possible subtext she could be laying in between her words. Unfortunately, the raven-haired man’s mother had been notoriously inconspicuous with her reactions, always appearing withholding.

“I guess. I just- well I guess… I don’t know. I’m starting to feel like that’s a direction I might be… heading in? Ugh, I hate this. Why does it have to feel so weird to talk about?”

Long fingers traced up and down the frustrated boy’s back. Akaashi’s mother spoke softly, understanding. “It’s your prerogative, whether it’s weird or not. You have the agency here.”

“Yeah but… I’m scared.” Akaashi swore silently at how shaky his voice was coming out.

“What are you scared of?” A silence spread between the two. Time seemed to hold its breath. “Is it because of who you like?”

Akaashi could not muster anything beyond a shrug.

“Because it’s a boy?”

Shoulders shook as tears shook from Akaashi’s eyes. He hadn’t expected this conversation to affect him like it did. He hadn’t been particularly secretive or embarrassed by his identity, but he nonetheless felt so incredibly vulnerable.

“Keiji, baby. That’s ok. I love you so much. That’s not going to change.” She then pulled the boy into a tight embrace. “You’re right. This whole romance stuff is awkward to talk about. But I can tell you this: the only thing that matters to me, when it comes to this, is that the person you love makes you truly happy. That’s all a mother can want.”

Akaashi felt himself relax at the words. He still felt awkward about this whole thing, but he also felt a tremendous weight lift from his shoulders.

“Is it Bokuto?”

Akaashi groaned, embarrassed.

“What? No need to be embarrassed, he’s a very nice young man.”

“Mama, please stop.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 12**

**__** _~First Love / Late Spring~_

_~Mitski~_

The sun had just sent, allowing the surrounding air to cool considerably to a more bearable temperature. It wasn’t that Akaashi was avoiding Bokuto all day. A more accurate statement was Akaashi was wildly overthinking the night before and how he should broach the subject. ‘Hey, Bo. So yeah I was kinda drunk but I still think you’re pretty honkin and I wouldn’t mind if you crushed me between your thighs and we did butt stuff.’ _That seemed like a one way ticket to rejection._

So now he was in a tree. He didn’t bring his guitar or a book like usual, instead opting for self-reflection and staring at his phone screen for any signs of life. Inevitably, Akaashi decided it wise to send Bokuto a text.

It simply read, _“I’m in a tree._ ” He figured it got the point across. A grey bubble with three ellipses appeared for a moment, indicating Bokuto was typing, but then disappeared with no message to accompany them. Just as Akaashi began feeling the sting of dejection, a booming voice clamored out from across the yard.

“Akaashi!” Although it was criminally mispronounced and the syllables were stretched to ridiculous lengths. Akaashi peaked over the branch he sat in to see Bokuto sprinting across the lawn to the tree. The man made no hesitation to climb up to join him on the thick branch.

“Hey!” Bokuto spoke, attempting to catch his breath.

Akaashi giggled, patting the man’s bicep to settle him. “You didn’t have to run, Bokuto. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“But this way I could see you faster.”

_Badump._

Akaashi began to realize that his status of ‘having literally no plan’ had remained unchanged. He began to speak, coming out in a stammer. “Um. I’m not drunk right now.”

Bokuto chuckled, “that’s good.”

“Yes.” Akaashi.exe was not functioning properly, mind utterly blank. “…are you drunk?”

“Nope.” Bokuto popped the ‘p.’

Akaashi fidgeted with his fingers, still having absolutely no clue what to say. “I guess I want to tell you that, erm, I meant what I said. That I like you, Bokuto. A lot.” As the words came out and the world remained intact, the black-haired man felt more confident in his assertions. “I have no clue what I’m doing, but the only thing I know is that you are really special to me.”

Bokuto stared into Akaashi’s eyes, committing every detail to memory. Akaashi began to feel nervous under his inscrutable gaze.

“Uh, was that ok?”

“It was perfect, ‘Kaashi.” Bokuto began to lean closer. The two men’s noses were separated by only centimeters. Amber irises flicked down to Akaashi’s pink lips for just a moment, his breath tickling red, hot skin. “Can I kiss you?”

Akaashi gulped thickly. “Please.”

Bokuto obliged instantaneously, leaning forward and slotting his mouth with Akaashi’s. The kiss began sweet and simple, lips gently pressing and shifting against each other. Bokuto’s large hands reached up and cupped the sides of Akaashi’s face, tenderly rubbing from the freckled skin of his cheeks back to his messy, ebony locks. A moan escaped the man’s lips as his fingers raked through his scalp. Akaashi took the opportunity to rest both of his soft hands against Bokuto’s firm chest, thumbs rubbing tiny circles across his collarbones.

After a few moments, gingerly massaging and exploring, the two pulled back for air. As to keep themselves as close as possible while they caught their breath, the two solely detached at the mouths, foreheads resting against each other and hands continuing to embrace.

Akaashi was the first one to speak. “Fuck.” It wasn’t the most eloquent phrase to state after a first kiss, but it felt appropriate.

“I- yes. That was very… I want to do that more.” Bokuto felt similarly frazzled.

“Patience is a virtue, Bokuto.”

Bokuto flashed Akaashi his signature puppy dog eyes. “You can’t tell me you’re not as eager as I am.”

Akaashi giggled, bringing a hand up to run a thumb across Bokuto’s sharp jawline. “I never said I had any patience.”

And just like that, Akaashi crashed their lips back together. This time, the kiss held something more than the previous one: hunger. There was electricity flowing between the two as they pressed into each other as though it was necessary for their survival. As Akaashi moved his hands to wrap around Bokuto’s neck, Bokuto shifted his to rest against the shorter man’s lean hips. Akaashi unwittingly arched his back at the contact, feeling a fire light within his lower abdomen. Bokuto was likely feeling something very similar, considering the groan that escaped his lips. Liking the way it sounded, Akaashi lightly bit Bokuto’s lower lip in an attempt to provoke another moan. The spiky-haired man was happy to indulge this, whimpering at the contact.

By the time they broke for air, the two were left far more exhausted than previously as they gasped for air. Akaashi mindlessly massaged Bokuto’s biceps up-and-down. Bokuto, in turn, rubbed circles against Akaashi’s outer thigh.

When Akaashi finally collected himself enough to glance up to Bokuto, he felt his heart melt from within his chest. Maybe it was a rudimentary and primitive description to use, but Akaashi thought the only way he could express himself in that moment was being really really happy.

_And not even a bloody nose could fuck that up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you for reading that! I was finally able to write something that's not THAT MUCH of a slow burn..
> 
> i was nervous about the tape 8 scene. i hope what happens makes sense. sometimes events are clear in your head but difficult to write. idk
> 
> anyway comments and kudos are super appreciated! ty~


	3. Things Will Change Before You Know It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kairosclerosis - n. the moment you realize that you’re currently happy—consciously trying to savor the feeling—which prompts your intellect to identify it, pick it apart and put it in context, where it will slowly dissolve until it’s little more than an aftertaste.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry it's been a little while! Things are a little all over the place and it's been a little difficult to write a whole lot at a time. But here we are.
> 
> If you'll notice, this is actually the last chapter of the fic! Yuck! I know, that wasn't the original plan but I'll talk more about why in the end notes.
> 
> Nonetheless I hope you all enjoy!

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 13**

**__** _~Sleeping on the Floor~_

_~Chloe Gallardo~_

“Hinata, just because Mr and Mrs Ruiz aren’t here today doesn’t mean you can break dress code.” Akaashi scolded, not actually caring one way or another.

The boy’s frown deepened. “It’s just a turtleneck. And it’s white like the polos, so what’s the problem?”

Akaashi mulled this over. “True. Although I’m not quite sure why you’re just now deciding to be rebellious with the dress code.”

“I forgot to wash my polo. Sue me.” Hinata huffed, though his words held a panicked undertone. There was something he wasn’t telling him. Perhaps something to do with the fact that the ginger boy had not once mentioned the prank Akaashi had pulled the other day.

His suspicions were confirmed when Kageyama arrived for his shift, also wearing a white turtleneck. _How coincidental._ He must have thought so as well, because his face heated up the moment he saw Hinata’s similar choice in outfit.

Akaashi’s lips curled into a devilish smirk, eyes narrowing like a viper with fresh prey. “Good afternoon, Kageyama. I see you, too, have both been awful negligent in washing your company polo. I would say both you and Hinata are inattentive but clearly that wasn’t the problem.”

If the two younger workers blushed any harder, steam might emit from their ears. Akaashi couldn’t stop the chuckle from escaping his lips.

“I ought to head out. You two know the drill: lock the doors after close and no making out while customers are here. Love you, bye.” The snarky man blew a kiss to the two, before slipping out the back into the hot parking lot behind the cafe. Despite the teasing, Akaashi truly was happy that Kageyama and Hinata seemed to have gotten together. Akaashi felt a brotherly-like fondness towards Hinata. It felt good to have someone look up to you, he was human after all. He still remembers the pride he felt when Hinata had told him that he was attending the same university as Akaashi in the fall and asked him to help him adjust. It felt really good to be needed.

Akaashi unlocked his bicycle from the bike rack and looped his leg over the seat to begin his trip home. Because the universe does not appreciate simple tasks going accordingly, a deluge suddenly poured from the sky. Akaashi felt his clothing grow heavy, collecting moisture, almost immediately. He figured it useless to stand there and sulk over his misfortune, so he began the now arduous journey through the torrent. Despite the high temperature, he began to shiver as wind hit his water-soaked skin. Curly locks of hair clung to his forehead, much like his shirt and jeans. Most unpleasant was the water seeping through his shoes and into Akaashi’s socks. _Suffice it to say, this was truly a miserable experience._

To make matters worse, a car passing by the biking man drove straight through a particularly deep puddle, spraying a wave of water into his already soaking figure.

After what felt far longer than most trips to and from the cafe, Akaashi finally turned onto his neighborhood street. Had he not been watching carefully, he might have rode directly into Bokuto, who was sprinting in his direction with an umbrella in hand.

“Bokuto?” The raven-haired man slowed to a stop, hopping off his bicycle to wheel it beside him. At this point, he cared not whether he got wet for a little longer.

The man in question looked terribly concerned, running up and holding his umbrella over Akaashi’s head. Akaashi hummed his gratitudes, stepping closer to allow both of them to fit underneath.

Bokuto quickly caught his breath. “When I saw it started to rain I wanted to come catch you before you left the coffee shop so you wouldn’t get all wet. I’m sorry I was late.”

Akaashi wanted nothing more than to pull the man into a tight embrace for being so caring. He resisted, however, for obvious reasons. “Don’t be sorry. Thank you for thinking of me.”

Bokuto grinned, strolling closely beside Akaashi as the two headed in the direction of the exhausted man’s house.

“Of course! I want you to be happy more than anything.”

Akaashi felt his heart burst from his chest, feeling so warm despite the bone-chilling wetness. Finding it near impossible to properly articulate to Bokuto just how happy he was, he resorted to actions that were seemingly nonsensical and illogical. As they turned into Akaashi’s driveway, he leaned his bicycle on its side and stepped away from the umbrella, returning to the soaking rain. Bokuto began to sputter, attempting to follow the man with his umbrella to prevent further wetness. Akaashi, however, hopped away from the shelter while he giggled childishly.

“Akaashi, what the hell are you doing?”

“I’m showing you how happy you made me!” Akaashi couldn’t suppress his ear-to-ear grin.

Bokuto was not following the logic of this reply. “That makes literally no sense. Please, I don’t want you to get sick.”

Akaashi continued to evade Bokuto’s courtesy, juking around the cover provided from the umbrella. “Too bad. You made me so happy, I don’t care if I get rained on.”

The taller man finally seemed to understand, features smoothed from concern to surprise. His cheeks then stretched into a beaming smile as he pulled his umbrella shut and tossed it aside. Bokuto then presumed a mock pose of a football player preparing to tackle. Akaashi’s eyes immediately widened, recognizing. He began to screech, laughing, as he pivoted and sprinted away towards the backyard.

The hunter pursued his soaking prey, laughing giddily. It didn’t take long for him to catch up to Akaashi, however, considering he was a student athlete. He resisted the urge to tackle the slim man to the ground, afraid of causing him any pain. So instead, Bokuto scooped Akaashi into his muscular arms and spun the two around, before flopping backwards onto the soaking, backyard lawn.

Akaashi’s chin rested on Bokuto’s shoulder, hands gripped in his cotton shirt. Both of them were positively soaking, sticking to each other in an unceremonious fashion. The two spilled into a mess of laughter and heaving.

Feeling a surge of confidence, Akaashi shifted to straddle the lying man. He pressed his thighs into either side of his waist, looking down at his features. Bokuto’s hair had lost all spikiness, bi-chromatic locks clinging to his forehead. Akaashi thought he had never looked cuter.

The black-haired man scooped Bokuto’s chin up in his hand, leaning down to press a chaste kiss on his lips. What was meant to be a short show of affection deepened quickly, as Bokuto’s hands instantly reached up to hold the man against him. Akaashi groaned lightly as he felt the electricity within Bokuto’s hands against his back, only blocked by the thin polo clinging to his skin.

As the kiss continued to grow heated, Akaashi forced himself to pull away. “Do you want to come inside and dry off?”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 14**

**__** _~I’m Just Really Tired Ok~_

_~FLOOR CRY~_

“Akaashi, I don’t think your clothes will fit me.”

The man in question continued shuffling through his wardrobe. “Nonsense. I have tons of huge shirts. Plus, you only have to wear it while our clothes are in the dryer.” Finally, he pulled out the massive, grey, cashmere sweater he often slept in. “See? We could both fit in this and still have room to spare.”

Bokuto chuckled at this, taking the sweater from Akaashi alongside a pair of shorts the man pulled out. 

“You can use my shower and I’ll use the one downstairs. If you get done before me just hang out and make yourself comfortable.” At this, Akaashi grabbed out a pair of clothes for himself and turned to head out of the door. Bokuto’s voice cracked through, stopping him in his tracks.

“You aren’t gonna give me a kiss before you go?”

Akaashi turned, face blushing fiercely. “I’ll see you again in five minutes, Bokuto.”

The taller man puffed out his lower lip, pouting. Akaashi felt his face heat up past its boiling point. He, nonetheless, rolled his eyes and pressed a quick peck against his lips.

Peeling his wet clothes off and tossing them onto the bathroom floor was quite possibly the most satisfying feeling. Despite the fact that he was already wet, stepping under the warm stream of water felt heavenly. Steamy pellets palpate his soft skin, droplets sliding down his lean body. Akaashi closed his eyes, leaning his head back and allowing the tension within him to release as water pooled in the divots created from his collarbone. He thought about how things have changed for him this summer. It wasn’t that he was unhappy before, but the past felt devoid of color in comparison to the mosaic he felt within him now. There were new desires and hopes and understandings and it was so incredibly thrilling.

The sudden dip in temperature snapped Akaashi back to reality, registering the fact that he had been wasting time daydreaming. The raven-haired man quickly finished washing off before turning the water off and towel drying himself off. Slipping on the pair of clothes he brought to change into and trudging back into his bedroom, towel hanging around his neck to capture any droplets of water that may stream from his damp hair.

Upon entering the room, Akaashi spotted Bokuto, already changed into the large sweater and worn shorts, laying on the dark, grey carpet reading one of Akaashi’s old yearbooks. The man rolled around in shock, like someone being walked in looking at pornography.

“Ah! Uh, Akaashi. Sorry, I saw your yearbooks on the bookshelf and couldn’t help myself. I know that’s like a super intrusion of your-“

“It’s ok, Bokuto. I think it’s sweet that you're interested.” Akaashi squatted down to lie next to the other man, a hand tentatively brushing against his muscular back.

Bokuto seemed to calm down by his words, excitement quickly replacing his guilt. “This one’s from your freshman year of high school!” Bokuto flipped through the pages, attempting to find Akaashi’s picture. After scanning through the grid of nameless faces, Bokuto finally spotted Akaashi, excitedly pointing at the photograph. “Aw, look at you! You were such a baby, ‘Kaashi!”

Despite his embarrassment, Akaashi couldn’t deny it. He had been what many called ‘a late bloomer.’ While his classmates sprouted into taller, broader, more mature-voiced versions of their former selves during freshman year of high school, Akaashi continued to see little progress in his maturation. Next to the other photographs of his classmates, Akaashi’s photo appeared as though it was mistakenly placed in its section. The young boy’s features were softer and more rounded than they would end up becoming. Additionally, his stature was short and narrow, not helped by the clothes that were far too large for him. When his mother decided to take her son shopping for his high school beginnings, she decided to buy him clothes that were approximately three sizes too large, justifying it by the fact that Akaashi ‘was bound to blossom any day now.’ Not only did he not ‘blossom’ until a year later, but when he did he did not quite broaden like they may have expected. Akaashi grew to a relatively tall height, but never truly filled out in the way so many of his male peers did. Thus, the clothing he had bought to grow into still was still too large for him. 

The two then flipped through the yearbook, pointing out any club or event pictures that Akaashi was in. Bokuto found himself barking laughter at the Volleyball team’s photo.

“I don’t remember it looking that ridiculous.” Akaashi scratched the back of his neck.

It did look ridiculous. Akaashi was approximately a foot shorter than all the other team members. Moreover, his uniform was also ill-fitting to his slender and short frame, bunchy and baggy around his body. “That was the smallest uniform they had. I was a benchwarmer that first year anyway.”

The two then moved on to the next year’s book, flipping first to his class picture. Akaashi was, once again, smaller than his classmates, but this time it was far less noticeable. What was more noteworthy, however, was the attire Akaashi wore. The boy’s hair was not unlike his current one, black locks separated at the middle of his forehead. In his sophomore year of high school, however, it didn’t hold the messy curls that it currently did. The ebony locks were neatly pressed down with what was undoubtedly hair gel. His dark blue eyes were framed by square, black glasses. Finally, he wore attire that was far more formal than his classmates, a grey suit and red tie. Like the previous year, it was too large for his petite frame.

Bokuto screamed, “OH MY GOD, ‘KAASHI, YOU WERE A TOTAL DORK!”

The blush spreading across the man in question’s face was fierce and unavoidable. “Ugh, don’t yell. I was going through a phase.”

“A nerdy, adorable phase!” Bokuto added, pressing a chaste kiss into the man’s cheek.

Akaashi rolled his eyes, swallowing the bubbling affection within him. The two flipped through the book, like they did with the previous one. Akaashi no longer stuck out like a sore thumb in the volleyball team’s photograph. While he was one of the shorter members, his arms held more muscle tone and his uniform was more flattering to his body. They then stopped on a spread for the school’s debate team. One of the photos displayed a picture of a flustered Akaashi being handed a trophy. The caption read: “Sophomore, Akaashi Keiji, wins state debate tournament.”

Bokuto turned to Akaashi, wide-eyed. “Woah! Akaashi, you didn’t tell me you also debated!”

“I guess I did, a little.” Akaashi shrugged, feeling embarrassed from the attention.

“A little?!” Bokuto rolled onto his side, wrapping his broad arms around Akaashi’s waist and pulling him flush with his chest. “You were the best in the state! That’s so amazing, my boyfriend is so smart.” He peppered kisses along the shorter man’s jawline as he giggled.

“Boyfriend? That’s awfully presumptuous of you.” Akaashi rested his head in the crook of Bokuto’s neck.

The spiky-haired man appeared to get flustered, not fully sensing his joking nature. “I- well- er- only if-“

Akaashi shut him up by pressing a wet kiss just beneath his jaw. “I’m only joking, Bokuto. I want to be your boyfriend.”

“Really? ‘Kaashi you make me so happy.” Bokuto excitedly squeezed Akaashi, rolling back and forth with the man.

The black-haired man dreaded opening his junior year book, knowing the horror to come. Bokuto was dead silent when he spotted his picture.

“What happened to you?” He yelled.

Akaashi pressed his face into the carpet, hoping to merge with the fabric. “I was told I needed to ‘loosen up,’ and I kind of took it to the extreme.”

The then seventeen-year-old was the spitting image of a teenager going through an “emo-phase.” His hair was cut into an angular, side-swept style, framing pale ears that had an inane amount of piercings. The boy wore a baggy tee shirt with the logo of some metal band Akaashi doesn’t remember actually liking very much.

Bokuto then spilled into a fit of giggles. “You were such a punk, ‘Kaashi. Punkaashi! And how many piercings did you get?”

“None. They’re all fake earrings, I was too scared to actually get any.”

This only tickled Bokuto further, sending him beyond the point of mere giggles and into full blown laughter. Akaashi decided to expedite their trip through memory lane, flipping through the book. The other pictures weren’t anything too different from the previous years. Akaashi was still on the volleyball and debate teams, the only difference now was Akaashi looked slightly older and vastly more disinterested with the world.

Thankfully, Akaashi was no stranger to making fun of his former self. “I look like I was trying to imitate a bunch of crappy teen dramas.”

Senior year brought Akaashi back to a more recognizable state. His body grew to its current maturity, his hair returned to its messy middle-parted style, and his wardrobe softened considerably. One noticeable difference, however, was how tired Akaashi appeared. His skin held grey undertones while purple bags hung beneath his exhausted eyes.

“You look like you needed a nap.” Bokuto remarked.

Akaashi hummed. “I overworked myself that year. I was so concerned about college and scholarships and ending clubs and everything. But it’s past now.” While his last sentence was meant to carry an optimistic finality, it held a bitter sadness to it- one Bokuto caught easily.

Flipping to the debate team spread, Bokuto felt his lips curl into a sympathetic frown. The caption read, “Senior, Akaashi Keiji, receives second place at state debate tournament.” Second place, of course, was an incredible feat. However, after winning the previous two years, Bokuto could imagine how disappointing it must have been.

“I got so in my head about that final round being my last, I completely froze up and bombed it.” Akaashi fiddled with his fingers.

Bokuto rubbed soothing circles into the man’s back. “I know that must have been disappointing for you, but I still think you’re the most incredible and talented person for being able to do that.”

Akaashi shook his head, smiling softly at his boyfriend. “I was sad at the time, but not anymore. When you look back at things, winning and losing seem so unimportant.”

The man smiled back. “Right! Like, my senior year we just barely came up short of the national title. At the time it was the worst feeling, but now it’s like, “But what about all the fun I had? Who cares about one match?””

A hum emitted from Akaashi’s throat, closing his eyes and resting his head back into the crook of Bokuto’s neck. “You’re really special, Koutarou.”

“I’m so glad I met you, Keiji.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 15**

**__** _~Sci-Fi~_

_~The Symposium~_

Guffawing boomed throughout the diner, courtesy of Bokuto. “I like you, shorty!”

Hinata scrunched his face up, “Who’re you calling shorty, owl-man?”

Hinata’s boyfriend, Kageyama, rolled his eyes. “Shorty dumbass.”

“Hey, don’t call me a dumbass, dumbass.”

Akaashi pinched the bridge of his nose, baffled by the three other men in the booth. Getting the four of them together for a double date seemed like such a great idea when he came up with it. In execution, however, he realized his fatal mistake. And if he appeared to crack a smile at the snarky jabs and unruly behavior, it was just an illusion.

“Kou, did you not enjoy the sandwich you got last time?”

The man in question was confused by this question, taking another bite of his burrito. “Huh? It was delicious! Why?”

Akaashi began to feel embarrassed. “Oh, nothing. Just that you ordered something different this time.”

“Well, yeah! I just like to try something new every time I eat out.” Bokuto took another enormous bite.

“Ah, that makes sense.” Akaashi hummed.

The black-haired boy had the opposite habits. It wasn’t that he was picky about food, but rather he simply knew what he liked and did not stray from it. Most of the restaurants and cafes he frequented knew his order by heart. Bokuto was adventurous and spontaneous and explorative, and it made Akaashi feel relatively boring in comparison. He wondered if this was how things were beyond simply food orders. Would Bokuto get bored of the monotony Akaashi possessed? The thought sat poorly within his stomach, causing his sandwich-o-tedium to lose its appeal.

Bokuto draped an arm over his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Aww, Keiji. You were thinking of me, that’s so sweet!”

Across the table, Hinata and Kageyama looked a mix of bewildered and flustered. Akaashi and Bokuto both looked at them, questioning this expression. Hinata was the first to speak.

“H-how do you two just call each other by your first names like it’s nothing?” The boy’s hair looked particularly orange in comparison to his reddening face.

Akaashi smiled slyly. “What? I don’t think it’s all that strange for boyfriends to do?”

Kageyama sputtered. “We tried to once but it’s- … it was too embarrassing.”

Now Bokuto chimed in, cooing. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“We’re only a year younger than you two!”

Despite their constant bickering, the group of four young adults found themselves to be enjoying each other’s company swimmingly. By the end of their meal, they had felt like a long standing and established friend group, but with more dating amongst its members. Laughing at Bokuto’s attempt to bribe Akaashi into eating an entire spoonful of spicy mustard, Hinata began a spontaneous proposition.

“We should go to an amusement park!” He grabbed onto Kageyama’s forearm excitedly.

His boyfriend scoffed. “Where’d that come from?”

Hinata was not discouraged by the boy’s dismissal. “Oh, come on! Doesn’t it sound fun to spend a weekend riding roller coasters and enjoying the beach?” A thought appeared to pop into his head, only causing more excitement. “Wait, Akaashi, aren’t Mr and Mrs Ruiz closing the shop next weekend? Then we’ll all be free! We have to go!” He said ‘have to’ as though this was a once and a lifetime opportunity.

Akaashi was the first to respond. “Next weekend? That’s only one week for us to get together the tickets and hotel rooms and plans.”

“So are you out?” It was Bokuto who asked this, as though the other three were completely on board and Akaashi was the hold up.

 _Fuck it._ He wasn’t going to be monotonous and boring. “Let’s do it.”

Bokuto and Hinata cheered enthusiastically, Kageyama grumbling something along the lines of approval.

A weekend at the amusement park. _Why not?_

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 16**

**__** _~Amour Plastique~_

_~Videoclub~_

When Akaashi said “only one week for us to get together the tickets and hotel rooms and plans,” he should have said “only one week for me to get together the tickets and hotel rooms and plans.” Not that he minded too heavily, he actually felt much more secure making the plans himself. Who could predict the disaster caused by Hinata or Bokuto’s attempts to make vacation arrangements? Akaashi thought maybe that’s why he got along so well with the two. There were two kinds of people: vacation planners and vacationers. The two relied on each other because the vacationers pressure the planners into going on vacation and the planners actually facilitate the event.

After rigorous agenda-setting in between shifts at the cafe, it was finally the night before the group would set off for their weekend vacation. Akaashi and Bokuto chatted idly, over the phone, as they each scoured their bedrooms in last minute packing. 

“I really can’t wait to spend the weekend with you.” Akaashi purred, folding a pair of underwear (of which he packed three more than he would ever need) into his suitcase.

Bokuto’s brows raised, affectionately. “We’re gonna go on the ferris wheel, and play carnival games, and eat cotton candy, and go on a night walk at the beach and-“

“-I’m excited for all of that, Koutarou.”

Their conversation continued similarly, with Akaashi ensuring that his boyfriend was packing appropriately. After a fifteen minute argument on whether Bokuto would need sunscreen, the two had finished packing their bags (Akaashi’s with twice the sunscreen just in case Bokuto lied about packing it). With a loud yawn, Akaashi trudged over to his bedroom window and gazed to the man standing behind the window adjacent. Bokuto lifted his fingers to his lips, pressing a kiss into them before pressing those same fingers against the glass. Smiling warmly, Akaashi did the same. It had become their nightly ritual ever since they’d started dating. It had started with Bokuto directly pressing a wet smooch into the glass of his bedroom window, but Akaashi refused to do the same. (“Too embarrassing and unsanitary, Koutarou). So instead they settled for the current, modified version.

“Very chivalrous of you, Kou.” Akaashi praised as his boyfriend packed both of their suitcases into Akaashi’s jeep.

The man wrapped an arm around his waist, stamping a kiss on the corner of Akaashi’s mouth. “Anything for you!”

Akaashi turned away, flushed. “Quit saying embarrassing stuff like that.”

“I’m not allowed to say how much I love my boyfriend?”

“Just get in the car.” Akaashi groaned.

The two drove off as the sun began peeking over the horizon. After they picked Kageyama and Hinata up they would certainly stop and get coffee from a drive thru, the early hour fogging Akaashi’s mind. His right hand was occupied, snug in Bokuto’s hand, while his left gripped the steering wheel, tapping idly to the french song playing over the car speakers.

_“ Dans mon esprit tout divague_

_Je me perds dans tes yeux_

_Je me noie dans la vague de ton nom, le souffle lancinant_

_De nos corps dans le sombre animés lentement ”_

Contentment. That was the word Akaashi would come back to when reflecting on this moment. In that moment, the whole world appeared to slumber, besides the two men in the car. There was something so intimate about it.

Eventually, they pulled into the neighborhood of Hinata’s home. Outside his house, Kageyama and the ginger boy sat on top of their luggage as they seemed in the midst of deep-seated conversation. They faced each other directly, heads turned downwards mere centimeters apart as to invade every molecule of personal space. Kageyama was whispering something into Hinata’s ear as he gently caressed his hand. The scene made Akaashi’s heart melt. He felt almost like a parent, proud to see their child find love. Based on the audible coo coming from his boyfriend, he assumed Bokuto felt similarly.

Smugness overtook affection, however, and Akaashi quickly pressed into the car horn, causing the unaware boy’s to leap from their luggage nests. The two men chortled as Kageyama and Hinata trudged around to the back of the jeep, embarrassment written on their faces. Once their suitcases were packed into the truck, the two hopped into the back seats of the vehicle and Akaashi backed out of the concrete driveway.

The coveted serenity was quickly shattered as his soft, French music was replaced with upbeat dance-able beats. While he wanted to tell the others to temper their excitement for the time beyond, on account for the early hour and long day ahead of them, he simply didn’t have the heart. So instead he drove on, in pursuit of a drive-thru coffee shop.

Akaashi gave the exhausted-looking barista an apologetic smile as he grabbed the last of the obnoxiously long order, passing it to the boys in the back seat. While he had only ordered a black coffee with extra espresso for himself, the other three in the car required bizarre drinks alongside multiple pastries each.

“I hope you’re all happy. You crushed that man’s soul.” Akaashi gritted as he pulled away from the coffee shop.

Bokuto chuckled, mouth full of croissant. “I dunno ‘bout you guys, but I’m really happy.”

The two sitting in the backseat nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

A sigh of annoyance escaped Akaashi’s lips, but he couldn’t stay upset. Especially not when Bokuto held his croissant up for Akaashi to bite. Damn his cuteness.

The driver pulled the jeep onto the highway, following the instructions on his gps. “If we keep stops to a minimum, we’ll be there in four hours.”

Exasperated groans filled the car. This would be a long car ride.

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 17**

**__** _~I Love Us~_

_~The Regrettes~_

They had entered the phase of the road trip in which Bokuto began listing out various observations regarding Akaashi that he liked.

“You have such pretty eyelashes, Keiji. So long.” His gaze was transfixed on the driver.

Akaashi’s blush was evident and implacable. “Koutarou, please stop, we're in the presence of company.” He gestured towards the back of the car, where Hinata was slumped against his boyfriend, both of them slumbering.

Bokuto groaned. “But they’re totally knocked out! They can’t hear me talk about how much I like you! Like, how your ears are so cute and little and-“

“Ok ok, I get it. Thank you, Koutarou. I really like you too. Now could we please pick a different subject of conversation.”

The man seemed to relent, shifting back in his seat to face the road. He rested the back of his head in his hands, Akaashi marveling the stretch of his biceps through his peripheral vision. He was allowed to do that. They were dating. He could look at his boyfriend’s arms all he wanted.

“Are we almost there?”

 _Sigh._ “Only forty-five minutes left”

Bokuto grabbed fistfuls of hair in agitation, groaning loudly. “That’s, like, forever.”

“It’s not forever, it’s forty-five minutes.”

So, as it turns out. Forty-five minutes was forever. After driving for over three hours, one would think their ass couldn’t hurt that much more after only forty-five more minutes. One would be very wrong in this assessment. Akaashi took to awkwardly shifting his weight side-to-side to alleviate the soreness. Things were especially unpleasant considering his traitor of a boyfriend had fallen asleep, leaving him as the only conscious person in the car.

Akaashi came up with a new game to pass the time, however. The goal of the game was to not fall asleep and crash the car, killing them all. While he was achieving a high score of ‘not dead yet,’ it was proving quite difficult. Another game he found himself playing was performed by waiting an undetermined amount of time without checking the clock and then attempting to estimate how much time had passed. His guesses usually ranged between fifteen to twenty minutes. The answers usually ranged between one to two minutes. He was not very good at this game.

Eventually, however, the curved track of a particularly tall roller coaster could be seen in the distance. After multiple, unsuccessful attempts, Akaashi was finally able to awaken the car’s passengers. The three men were refreshed and buzzing with excitement. The driver, on the other hand, felt like a used dryer sheet. His mind was numb from the monotony of the road, his ass was sore from the monotony of its positioning, and his eyes were tired from the monotony of not being closed.

After the remaining five minutes, which felt more close to hours, of the drive to the amusement park, Akaashi pulled the jeep into an available parking spot towards the park’s entrance. The four men hopped out of the car, stretching stiff muscles and joints awake. As Akaashi stretched a particularly stubborn knot in his back, Bokuto found his way behind his boyfriend, affectionately massaging Akaashi’s worn shoulders. The exhausted man groaned into the contact, feeling the tension stored in his muscles dissipate quickly.

Bokuto’s voice was slick like honey. “Thank you for driving us, Keiji. You’re the best.”

Leaning into the touch, Akaashi felt his eyes fall shut dreamily. After a short moment of relaxation, he reached into the backpack he brought with several necessities and pulled out a can of sunscreen. “Everyone sunscreen up.”

The other three practically hissed, refusal written on their faces. Akaashi, however, wasn’t taking no for an answer, which led into the strangest game of tag being played in circles around the car as the black-haired man chased them, can in hand.

After finally forcing the others to lather up with sunscreen, they ventured towards the park gates. Despite it being a July weekend, the line to purchase tickets was not obscenely long. After a short 10 minute wait, the four were admitted into the amusement park, giddy for their vacation to truly begin.

Hinata’s gaze instantly transfixed on a massive, winding coaster with sleek, green rails. The passengers were sat in chairs that hung from the railings, rather than sat atop, and their feet dangled without a floor to perch atop. Bokuto was the first to excitedly chase after the ginger boy, with Kageyama and Akaashi following far more patiently. A sign posted at the start of the line indicated that there would be approximately an hour long wait to get onto the roller coaster. The four did not mind this, as every ride would likely have a comparable line.

Thankfully, the nearby beach provided the park a cooling, sea breeze to alleviate the summer heat. To pass the time, the four played a variety of party games starting with ‘never have I ever.’ Akaashi decided he had not liked this game very much when he decidedly won all three rounds. So, he hadn’t done very many interesting things! Sue him! He had done far worse at twenty questions, considering the others would always pick the most ridiculous, unguessable subjects. Eventually, they stopped playing games and instead discussed various activities they would like to do on their vacation.

Somewhere in between discussing the food they’d hoped to eat and how late they’d hopes to stay at the park, the four reached the front of the line. The coaster was unique in that the seats were in rows of four, so they could all fit in a singular row. Akaashi and Kageyama placed themselves on the inside of the row, as to abate their oncoming, ride anxiety.

“Here, Keiji. Hold me hand.” Bokuto held his hand to his side, palm open to accept the man’s hand. Once he felt properly secured in his seat, Akaashi gratefully accepted the hand.

The coaster wasn’t as bad as he had expected. In fact, he felt entirely unaffected by it. The black-haired man figured it was likely because he was on the inside, although Kageyama appeared thoroughly defeated from it. However, he continued feeling positively apathetic towards the twists, turns, and drops as they rode more and more rides. Bokuto decided he simply had to purchase one of the pictures taken of the riders. The photograph in question displayed the riders all screaming and red in the face from the momentum, while Akaashi sat completely straight-faced.

Through fits of laughter, Bokuto buzzed. “You look like you’re taking a math test.”

**PLEASE INSERT CASSETTE TAPE 18**

**__** _~Ribs~_

_~Lorde~_

The sun began to dip below the horizon as the four vacationers stepped off a ride aptly named “the corkscrew.” This name was earned by the multitude of loops the riders were subjected to. Akaashi was, again, unbothered by these coils. To provide himself entertainment, he counted the number of loops they soared through. _Fourteen._

Hinata’s stomach growled, drawing the four’s attention to the fact that it was well past nine and they still hadn’t eaten dinner.

“I’m starving!” Bokuto groaned as they trudged.

Akaashi pulled out the park map, hoping to locate a diner they could pursue. They wouldn’t need it, however, as a diner themed after retro gas stations seemingly materialized before them. Considering the late hour, the restaurant was relatively sparse in people. A jukebox in the corner played what was presumably a rock n’ roll tune from the sixties or seventies.

“Akaashi, you ordered the same thing you do at home.” Bokuto giggled.

Sipping his recurring, strawberry-banana milkshake, Akaashi shrugged the jab off. “I like what I like.”

The tune playing from the jukebox shifted to another, slightly less energetic song. White brows shot towards the sky as Bokuto sprouted an idea.

“‘Kaashi we should go dance!”

“Absolutely not.”

The older man looked flabbergasted that Akaashi wouldn’t want to join him, clearly ignoring the fact that Akaashi was Akaashi. “What? Are you kidding me? We’ve got to dance!”

Akaashi’s lips tightened. “That’s wildly untrue. I’m not a dancer and especially not one in public.”

“C’mon! There’s hardly anyone in here, and they won’t care. Please!” The multicolor-haired man held out the syllable, jutting out his lower lip in a pout.

Unfortunately, Akaashi was weak willed and physically unable to resist the pouting. “Fine. But Only one song.”

Bokuto’s mood immediately shifted, frown morphing to a wide grin. “Yay! Thank you!”

Akaashi groaned as he was dragged to the jukebox. Bokuto slipped several quarters into the machine before flipping through the songs and landing on a bouncy, danceable track. The shorter man stood awkwardly, not knowing exactly what to do in this situation. Bokuto decided to take the lead, slipping Akaashi’s hands into his own and swaying the two back and forth while he hopped up and down. Akaashi wondered if this was the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he quelled the thought when he saw Bokuto’s genuine, beautiful smile. It was then that he realized if he wasn’t in this moment right now, it would pass by and he would forget just how perfect his boyfriend was. So, he too started bouncing to the beats. Bokuto yelped upon seeing the man joining in the dance. Akaashi slipped his hands out of Bokuto’s hands, stepping closer and slotting together behind the broad man’s waist. Bokuto responded by resting his own hands on Akaashi’s shoulder blades. The two began a more intimate _(but age appropriate cough cough)_ dance.

Beside them, Hinata was attempting to get Kageyama to join him in a dance, although he was not very skilled at the activity himself. Akaashi chuckled as Kageyama growled at the ginger boy for stepping on his toes. Bokuto got extremely excited when some random old couple got up from their table to dance themselves, booming about starting a trend.

Akaashi pulled out some coins and changed the track to a slower one. It was corny and his face was practically steaming as he slotted into Bokuto’s arms to sway, but it was also everything he wanted. He would always criticize romance films and books for such indulgent displays of romance for being completely unrealistic and cheesy, but he knew there was a reason those chilchéd tropes were so popular. Because there was something in everyone that just wanted to have something so undeniably special. So yes, Akaashi was indulging a sugary-sweet subsection in his mind that desired the youthful romance that only exists in Hollywood storylines. _What was so wrong with that?_

“Hey, Kou?” He whispered against the man’s broad chest.

Bokuto lifted his chin from the man’s ebony hair to respond. “Yeah, babe? Can I call you babe? Is that weird?”

“It is weird. Please do not. Anyway, I just…” He paused, trying to find the right way to articulate the things he was feeling. “… I’m really happy right now. And I get scared sometimes when things are good because I know that one day it will be just a memory I miss. But with you, I don’t worry because I know that you’ll make me happy in the future. I don’t have to hold my breath out of fear that it’s the last good thing for me. Sorry if that makes no sense or got too serious, but it’s how I felt”

Akaashi felt a finger pressing against his chin, bringing his face up to meet Bokuto’s in a warm kiss. He hummed by the act, leaning in to drink in every bit of this. His lips felt magnetically pulled towards Bokuto’s, making pulling apart all too difficult.

“You’re so special to me, Keiji. My heart feels like it’s launching fireworks in my chest when I’m around you and I’m addicted to it.” Bokuto spoke. Softly. So that Akaashi had to lean closer to pick out each syllable.

Ever so timely, Akaashi’s nose began to drip blood. The two began cackling at the ridiculous of it all. They had just confessed how deep their feelings for each other truly were and Akaashi’s nose had to cock block them.

_Perfect. It truly was._

** PLEASE REMOVE CASSETTE TAPE 18 **

**__** _~Place Your Hand Over Your Heart~_

_~Feel Each Beat~_

The vacation ended almost too soon; the four enjoying every minute, whether spent at the park or beach or car. Weeks continued to pass by, like flocks of Geese crossing the street. As August rolled around, Akaashi felt an anxiety pit within his stomach with the dread of separating for the approaching fall semester. Bokuto assured him that they would text and call every day and try and visit each other on a few weekends to make the division more bearable. Akaashi knew they would be fine, but he had grown so accustomed to spending every day with his boyfriend over the past two months.

Mr and Mrs Ruiz found out about Akaashi and Bokuto’s relationship extremely quickly, after the latter man visited him at work and was, in their words, “giving him googoo eyes.” Akaashi thought it preposterous that he had been discovered before Hinata and Kageyama did, considering they both worked at the cafe and were far worse liars. 

Akaashi’s mother had attempted to give her son “the sex talk” after finding out that he began dating Bokuto. The conversation ended extremely quickly after Akaashi practically shrieked in embarrassment and she realized that she hadn’t actually much valuable information to give considering she was not, in fact, a gay man.

The minivan was packed to its maximum capacity as Akaashi and his mother prepared to drive off to drop him off at university. Akaashi’s mother spotted Bokuto trudging across the street like he was going to a funeral and took the cue to slip back into the house for a few minutes.

“Hey, Kou.”

“Keiji.” Bokuto finally reached his destination and wrapped the smaller man into a tight embrace. It was one of those hugs where the two pressed against each other as much as possible, not wanting to let go. Bokuto’s hand cradled the back of Akaashi’s head as tears already began welling up in his eyes.

“So this is goodbye, for now.” Akaashi stuttered.

Bokuto leaned back to stare into the man’s dark, blue eyes. “For now.” He repeated softly.

The two stayed like this for another moment, before Akaashi finally broke, falling forward back into his embrace as sobs broke to the surface of his throat. “I’m gonna miss you so fucking much.”

“I know. I’m gonna miss you too.” Bokuto’s voice was shaky, but he attempted to remain strong. “But we’re gonna call every day and I’m gonna text you everything that happens, even when it’s annoying, and I’ll drive down to visit you any weekend you need me.”

So this was how they were. Standing in the driveway on a cloudy summer day, wrapped around each other with tear-stained cheeks. Maybe it was melodramatic to get so worked up over leaving when all of the things Bokuto said about staying in contact were true. _Maybe_. But with how truly happy Akaashi felt that summer, he didn’t think so. He thought he deserved to spill great, big, ugly tears and yelp obnoxious sobs because the world was ending as they knew it. _Ok, so maybe not that much._ But the point was: a long hug and cathartic cry felt justified.

Finally, the two leaned into a warm kiss. It wasn’t deep or eager, like they often ended up being. It was short and simple and kind of bland. But anything else would have been overkill. Akaashi had always been one to express himself with words anyway.

“I’m really glad I met you, even though I was half naked.” Akaashi rested his head in the crook of Bokuto’s neck.

The man chuckled in response. “I am too. I like you more than I’d ever thought possible.”

“Even my nosebleeds?”

“Yes. I even love your nosebleeds.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin.  
> Thank you all for reading this, and I apologize if it felt at all rushed or poorly paced or just bad in general.
> 
> I will be honest, I have some regrets about this story and how I went about it. I wanted to write something more directionless, where I just write and see where things go without a structured plan like I usually use. I also wanted to write a fluffy slice of life summer fic. I worry that I ended up writing something bland and uninteresting to read. I tried to make sure things were happening and it didn't stagnate. My initial plan was to make this chapter go through the vacation and next chapter the characters grapple with going back to school. While writing this, however, I didn't feel like I had enough interesting things to bring to make that into a complete chapter so I put it into this. If that made it rushed, I apologize but I felt this would be better than a minuscule wrap up chapter.
> 
> Anyway, I also grew really excited about my next fic and had been planning it a little too much on the side lol. I'm almost done with the first chapter, although it's gonna be extremely long and I really want to be at least mostly done before I post anything. I just hope I continue to improve and write better.
> 
> Any comments are appreciated. Sorry if I disappointed any of you. Thank you~

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments are wonderful I love reading and replying to every single one! :)
> 
> Have a great morning/day/night/time-is-an-illusion!


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